Count the Ways
by Heathocracy
Summary: A series of one-shots, each detailing different ways our favorite fox and bunny could confess their love to each other. As such, unless otherwise noted, they're all separate versions of the same thing. Expect lots of humor, excitement and fluff.
1. The Longest Day

It had been a long day for Judy. It had been the first day in a long time she'd worked alone, for starters. Bogo had stuck her with mostly office work for the day, though she did tag along with Fangmeyer for a patrol in the afternoon. They'd managed to pull over a _very_ rude moose who refused to even speak with Judy until Fangmeyer came up behind her. Even after a little over a year on the force, Judy was still having trouble being taken seriously by some citizens of Zootopia.

The length of the day had begun to wear on her. Normally, with Nick by her side, her work days went by like a flash. Their playful banter, jokes, and companionship made the hours tick by joyously. After he became her partner, she enjoyed two months of that wonderful routine. The lack of her best friend meant today had been agonizing. She had no idea how she made it through her first year of service without him.

Judy had tried making jokes with Fangmeyer, but most of them fell flat with the tiger. She even tried using some of Nick's lines, as they usually could get a chuckle out of the tiger, calling him "Stripes." But her words just didn't have the charm Nick always seemed to have a surplus of. Resigning herself to silence, she looked out the window of the squad car at nothing in particular.

"Sheesh, Hopps. You're pretty miserable without Wilde here, huh?" Fangmeyer suppressed a smug grin.

"Yeah…" she said, absentmindedly. Snapping back to reality, she put on a face and turned back to her coworker. "I mean, it's just a lot…quieter without Nick around today." She smiled weakly, hoping to stem any comments she knew Fangmeyer probably had.

"He just took today off, right? He'll be back tomorrow?"

"His mom needed some help today. She's…not doing well from what I understand." Judy commented. She hadn't met his mother yet, other than briefly at Nick's graduation from the academy. She seemed well then, but she'd heard Nick mention a few times that she wasn't in the best of conditions. "But he'll be back to work tomorrow." She smiled again at the thought and returned to lazily gazing out the window.

 _Wow,_ Fangmeyer thought. _She's got it bad for him._ He chuckled lightly to himself. The two finished documenting the speeding ticket they'd issued to the rude moose on their on-board computer and Fangmeyer noted it was nearly the end of their shift. He put the car into drive and started heading back to the station.

Once back, Judy walked in and headed back to her desk to finish up the day's paperwork and clock out. The day was nearly over, and she really hoped she could see Nick that evening. Pulling her phone out, she began typing out a text.

 _[Miserable day, need to see you]_

She read over the message before hitting send. She laughed at herself. _Wow...sounds a little desperate, don't you think, Hopps?_ She quickly deleted the message and typed in something a little more unassuming.

 _[Everything okay with your mom?]_

She hit send and eyed her phone as if expecting an immediate response, noting how Nick was listed in her contacts as "Dumb Fox." She laughed to herself. She really hoped they wouldn't have too many days without working together. It was torture to her rapid-fire bunny brain. She set her phone down and turned back to her computer to finish clocking out, not noticing a large shadow overtaking her cubicle. A small knock made her ears perk up, and she turned to see Chief Bogo behind her.

"Hopps." He looked rather indifferent.

"Yes sir, Chief?"

"Tell Wilde he better have his smug self back in here ready to work tomorrow." His indifferent look held firm, but inside he was a bit worried. Hopps just wasn't herself today, after all, and he noticed. Nick taking a day off had really put him out of two officers. That was a good sign for their partnership, but he hoped it would be isolated. The two of them had become very good officers in their short time together, and it pained him to see Hopps so sullen over something so simple. Her normal full-steam ahead attitude had waned today. "I expect you two to at 110%"

Judy nodded her head, putting on a smile. "Yes sir! I'll let him know you missed him." A small chuckle escaped Judy's mouth as Bogo's face changed to one of annoyance.

"Right… Well, have a good evening, Hopps." Bogo left her to finish her work. _Those two sure are something. I've never seen a partnership like theirs take off so quickly. Especially pred/prey like that._ Bogo certainly wasn't blind to the implications of their stalwart partnership. He didn't mind, as long as they worked hard and acted professionally. It was no secret that they were close, after all. He was sure it was only a matter of time.

Judy finished clocking out and noticed Nick hadn't responded yet. As if on queue, the phone blinked to life as the notification chime played. A small, involuntary squeak popped out of her as she grabbed her phone.

 _[Mom's good for today. I'm heading back to my place. Dinner?]_

Dinner sounded wonderful, especially since she really needed to see him. _Need?_ She thought. Nick was her best friend…it was only logical that she'd miss him. But she missed… _him_. Everything about him. His snark, his jokes, his attitude, his handsome smile…

It had only been a day but it felt like an eternity. It was as if just one day without him by her side made her realized just how close she was to him. She felt like she was missing a part of herself. _Do I need some Nick time? Yes, yes I do._

 _[Okay, want me to grab something on my way over?]_

 _[Nah, I'll make us something. Just got groceries.]_

 _[K, See you soon]_

Judy turned off her computer and headed to the locker room to change into more comfortable clothes: a pale blue t-shirt and a comfortable pair of jeans. She'd started the habit of changing after work since she and Nick so often went to hang out or grab dinner. It was far easier than taking the subway and heading all the way back to her apartment just to change clothes.

Nick's apartment, in contrast, was about a 20 minute walk from the station. She wasn't sure how he could afford a nicer apartment than she could, since they made about the same amount of money. She figured he had some leftover money hidden away from his previous _endeavors_. It was much nicer to spend time at his place than her little closet of a room. She had to find a new place to live, and soon.

As if to only make her day feel even longer, the walk to Nick's apartment took forever. By the time she reached his complex, she was nearly sprinting up the stairs to see him. After knocking at his door, she heard a comforting voice from inside.

"Come on in, Carrots."

Judy opened the door and stepped in, an amazing scent suddenly hitting her nose. She took in a big whiff of the smell. _Cauliflower, potatoes, beets, almonds and…lemon?_ She entered the apartment and saw Nick busy in the kitchen that was connected to his living room. He was wearing a sleeveless light green shirt and some khaki pants.

"Wow…smells amazing!" Judy said as she walked in, setting her bag down. She walked over to the kitchen with him as he was pulling a pan out of the oven. "Nicholas Wilde! I never knew you could cook!" On the pan was a beautiful medley of roasted veggies and almonds.

"Gotta keep you on your toes, Fluff." Nick said with a smug grin. "Can't give away all my mysteries in one go." He grabbed two plates from his cupboard and plated the meals. Putting on his best fake French accent, he explained the dish to her. "Zis is a roasted medley of ze finest cauliflower, potatoes, and beets I could find, toss in olive oil wiz a dash of lemon zest, a pinch of salt," he reached over to a small container of what looked like a homemade dressing, "and a tres delicious orange vinaigrette."

Judy giggled at the display, taking her plate and sitting down at the table. She poured a little of the dressing on it and took a bite, amazed at how wonderful it tasted. "Mmmm…Nick this is amazing! Where'd you learn to cook like this?"

"Trade secrets, Carrots." He said as he dug in himself. "Glad you like it, though."

Judy gave a smirk back to him. "It gets the bunny seal of approval!" She took a few more bites before pointing her fork at him. "Wow, you are on cooking detail from now on."

"Gladly." Nick's famous half lidded smirk overtook his expression. "As long as you to do the dishes."

Judy laughed, giving him a playful glare. "Sly fox."

"Dumb bunny." He replied, nonchalantly.

Judy couldn't help but smile softly at him. _I really missed this today._ She looked on as Nick continued eating. His smug grin never left his muzzle. His brilliant green eyes finally looked up and met hers. They were so-

"Do I have something on my face?" Nick's words snapped Judy back to attention.

"Wha…no! No, nothing, I was just…uh…" She quickly looked away as she felt heat rising in her ears. She was sure she was blushing horribly. _Get it together, Hopps._

Nick laughed. "It's okay, Jude." Of all the nicknames he'd given her, if he called her "Jude" it signaled he was being a little more serious. She looked back over until her eyes met his again. His smirk hadn't faded one bit. "I missed you too today."

Now she _knew_ she was blushing. "Well..I mean it was a LOT quieter around the station without you."

"I'm sure Bogo didn't mind."

"Ha...he missed you too. Told me to let you know he expects us at 110% tomorrow."

"Sure, you'll be the 100% and I'll be the perfect 10."

Judy giggled. "In your dreams, foxy." She sighed lightly. It was as if the natural order of the world had been reestablished. She picked at the last few bites of her dinner, playing the day through her mind again. She tried to imagine what Nick would have said to the moose they pulled over. It would have likely been pure gold.

Finishing up his own plate, Nick took Judy's empty one as well and placed them both in the sink. Maneuvering over to his couch, he waved Judy over to sit by him. She hopped over the back of the couch, landing with her feet near Nick's side and stretched her back against the arm of the couch.

"Wanna watch a movie?" She asked, grabbing Nick's TV remote.

"Actually...why don't we just chat for a bit?" Judy's ears shot up in surprise.

She looked at him, seeing if he was joking or not. She couldn't tell. "Uh…okay. What…do you wanna chat about?"

"Well, for starters, how was your day? I'm assuming you did actual work while I wasn't there?"

"Oh…it was boring. Bogo stuck me with some paperwork, and then I went on a fairly uneventful patrol with Fangmeyer."

"Mhmm…sounds painful."

"It was SOOO slow today without you." She said as she laid her head back over the arm of the couch.

"Good to know how much you missed me." He laughed as he poked at her foot.

"Eep!" she cried as his claw tickled her foot. "Don't get a big head, dumb fox." She lightly kicked his side. "But it…wasn't as fun without you. I tried joking around with Fangmeyer, but he just scoffed at me."

"Aww, that stick in the mud? He can't replace me, that's for sure." Smirking at her, he let his paw fall on her foot, ruffling the fur on top of it.

Judy's face blushed again. _Stop being so sweet, dumb fox!_ She decided to change topics. "How is your mom doing?"

Nick's expression softened slightly. Just slightly. Just a degree or so. But Judy had been around him enough to catch it. She knew he was worried about his mom. He looked forward at the blank TV. "She's…she's okay, Carrots."

Judy felt his paw leave her foot. "I'm…I'm sorry Nick. If you don't want to talk about your mom we don't have to."

He looked back at her, turning himself slightly to get a better line of sight. "No. it's fine. The doctors…well they have to do more tests. They can't figure out why she's losing so much weight. That's where I took her this morning." He feigned his best optimistic face. "To see a new specialist who can help."

Judy felt her heart sink a little. It pained her to see Nick like this. She cared a lot about him, after all. And his mother seemed so sweet.

"But, my mom wouldn't be happy to hear us talking about her like this. She's a very proud vixen." Nick laughed. "She'd tell me to worry about myself…and she did just that several times today. She was never one to enjoy other people worrying about her."

"Nick…if you-"

"My day was long without you too, Jude." He looked back up at her. His expression leveled out again. Just like that, his wall was back up. Even in his sincerity, he was still hiding behind his handsome smugness. Judy figured she shouldn't push too hard this time, deciding that was a good enough emotional breakthrough for Nick for the day.

Running her paw down her ears, she playfully chided "Oh really, the _big bad_ _fox_ missed the little bunny?"

"Of course, I missed not seeing all your bunny-isms."

Her ears popped back up. " _Bunny-isms?_ "

"Bunny-isms. Like that, right there." He said, pointing to her ears. "When something gets you flustered, your ears perk right up and turn towards me. And then…" he waited a moment. "…ha! There it is.!" He huffed a laugh.

Judy could only giggle at his excitement. "There _what_ is?"

"Your nose. When you really focus in on something, it starts twitching like there's no tomorrow!" He reached over and booped her nose with his finger. "You could say it's quite…"

"Don't even say it, Slick." She shot him a half-lidded smirk that rivaled his own.

"You wound me, Fluff." He said as he brought his paws to his chest. "I was simply going to say 'charming.'"

Judy giggled. "Uh huh…right. What am I going to do with you, Wilde?"

"Well, you have the whole day tomorrow to figure that out, since I'll be back to work."

Judy laid her head back again. "Good. Because if I'm honest, it was horrible without you today."

"Aww…poor widdle bunny." He reached his paw over to her foot again. "I'm sorry you had such a hard day." He took her foot in both paws, lightly massaging it. The sudden pressure caught her off guard, though it wasn't unappreciated. "How 'bout I make it up to you?"

Judy attempted to protest, but the pads of his paws hit a pocket of tension. The wonderful feeling shot up her legs as she relaxed into the couch a little more. "Well, if you insist."

"There ya go, just let ol' Nick Wilde work that bad day out of your system." He put more pressure onto her foot, pressing into it and moving his fingers around.

 _Oh wow…he's…surprisingly good at this._ Judy said, her face blushing more and more as he continued rubbing her foot. She must not have realized how much tension her feet carried through the day.

"Is this another hidden skill of yours?" She let out of small gasp as he switched to her other foot, letting her head fall back again as her eyes closed. She let out a deep sigh as he massaged her other foot.

"Yup. I'm really good at making bunnies go dumb."

"Wow...how many bunnies do you give this treatment to regularly?" Even with her head back, Nick could see the smirk on her face.

"Well you're certainly the first, but I gotta admit I have a pretty good test subject here."

"Mm-hmm. Well you're pretty good from what I can tell. Did you take classes for this, or is it just a standard fox feature?"

"Ha, no, no, I just took classes on how to care for overly emotional lagomorphs."

Another laugh escaped Judy. "Har har, you big dummy."

"Now, now, Carrots. I take helping my partner relax after a hard day seriously." Rubbing on the toes of her foot, his paws lifted up, signifying he was done. Judy was laid back on the couch, practically melting into it as she gave out a long, relaxed sigh.

"Oh wow…I really needed this." Judy said as she slowly sat up, a huge smile on her face.

"I'll say, your feet were pretty tense."

"No, Nick, I mean…" she leaned over, placing her head on his chest and leaning her weight on him. "I needed _this._ " The move took Nick by surprise, but he relaxed into it and placed his arm around her.

"Well, what can I say? I'm always here for you, Jude." His paw gently came up, stroking down her ears as she nuzzled into him.

After a few moments of content silence, she spoke up again. "I really missed you today, Nick." She pulled back a little, looking up at him. "I didn't realize how much until I saw you again."

Nick just smiled. "I really missed you too. It was no fun without my partner."

Judy smiled back, blushing lightly as Nick pulled her back to himself. She put his paw back on her ears, and he took the hint. He gently stroked his claws down her ears, making her shiver a little.

"Nick, why are you so good to me?"

Nick thought about it for a little bit, deciding that this was a situation where the best answer was actually the most honest one. "Because I love you."

The words rang like a gong in Judy's ears. Her eyes shot open for a second. "Love…me?" She pulled back a little, running her paw over her ears where he'd been scratching and looking away. "Like…a sister?" Her voice was a little shaky. "Or a friend?"

Nick knew what he meant, and he figured so did she. But he also could sense a little bit of apprehension from her.

"I'll love you however you need me to." He reached down and placed a paw on her shoulder, causing her to turn back to him, meeting his emerald eyes. "If you need me to rub your feet after a long day of work, I'm here for you. If you need me to listen while you vent about whatever's bothering you, I gotcha covered."

She couldn't pull herself from his eyes. His eyes were so genuine. _He really means what he's saying_.

"If you need me to watch a sappy movie and eat a tub of ice cream with you, you have my number."

A smile began working its way onto Judy's face. This felt right, after all. She might as well enjoy it.

"What if…" she looked down for a moment, then back up as she moved a little closer to Nick "..what if I just need someone to hold me and scratch my ears?"

"Well I believe I've proven I'm a good for that." His smile warmed Judy's heart even more.

She slowly moved closer to him, until their noses were only a few inches apart. "What if…" her voice was just above a whisper. "…I need someone to kiss me?"

"Well…then I'm your fox."

Judy smiled. " _My_ fox?"

"If you'll have me."

Before Nick could even muster another smug grin, Judy moved up and landed her lips on his. The kiss was firm, smooth, and as far as Judy was concerned, absolutely heavenly. Emotions she had and even ones she didn't know existed came out in that kiss. It wasn't fireworks or frantic sensuality she'd seen in the movies. It was just pure and simple connectedness between her and Nick. She broke the kiss, much to Nick's disappointment. Her eyes fluttered open, catching his green ones in her sights again.

"I love you too." She said, smiling uncontrollably at him. She leaned back down and wrapped her arms around his midsection, burying her face into his side. The day that had started as the worst day imaginable had quickly become the best day of her life. And it felt great.

The two sat in the quiet for a while, taking in everything that had just transpired. Judy lost herself in his tender strokes on her ears again, and Nick loved the smell of her near him. Eventually, a small giggle came from Judy.

"What's got you giggly now, Fluff?"

"Just…today. _This_. It's so…unorthodox, don't you think?"

Nick laughed. "I think it's pretty par for the course for us, Jude."

Judy's smile widened again. "Oh…so there's an _us_ now?" She giggled as she sat back up, looking once again into the emerald of his eyes that was quickly becoming her favorite color.

"Eh, there's always been an _us_. Just ask Clawhauser." The two broke into a small fit of laughter. The chubby cheetah always did say they'd make a cute couple.

"Well I'm sure he'll be glad to know he was right." Judy leaned back, stretching her legs out again. She looked at the clock. It was nearly 8 PM, but she certainly wasn't ready for this night to be over. "How about that movie now?"

Nick reached for the remote. "Sounds like a plan. What're you in the mood for?"

Judy slid over, pushing herself against Nick and forcing a loud "oof" out of him. "Well, you _did_ say something about sappy movies and a tub of ice cream." She looked up at him with big, expecting eyes.

He looked down at and rolled his eyes in response. "Sly bunny."

" _Your_ bunny." She said, reaching up and planting another kiss on his muzzle. "You said you like helping your partner relax at the end of a long day, and I have a little more steam to blow off before the night's over."

Nick felt the urge to say something, and knew it was just too good to hold back. "Well, if you need to blow off more steam, you now know how good I am with my paws and uh… _mouth_."

Judy shoved him away, half laughing, half yelling. "Nicholas Wilde! You _dirty old fox!"_ She turned her face to hide the very obvious blushing overtaking her.

"What?" he said, feigning innocence.

"You sly fox. Go grab us some ice cream to cool you down before you start panting."

"Alright, alright." Nick stood up, stretching his back out. "But you know, you look pretty darn _cute_ when you're flustered."

"Nick!" Judy threw a pillow at him.

"Hey, just stating a fact." He waltzed over to the freezer.

Judy let out a small growl tapered with giggles. "You're so…so…"

"Handsome? Witty? Articulate?"

"INSUFFERABLE!" she yelled.

Grabbing the ice cream from the freezer, he turned back to her. "And you wouldn't have me any other way."

"Oh no, Slick Nick. You don't get to use that smarm on me, mister!"

Grabbing a couple spoons, Nick headed back and plopped next to her on the couch again. "Well, would you rather I used it on _someone else?_ " He made innocent eyes at her.

"Dumb fox!" she said as she snatched a spoon from him.

"You know you love me."

"I'm going to love the heck out of you if you don't stop!'

"See, now I'm confused, am I supposed to stop or not?"

"Just hush and put on a movie!"

Judy glued herself to him as the movie started, but both of them knew they wouldn't be able to give it their full attention. It was, after all, the end of a very long day.


	2. It's Called a Hustle

**A/N: Holy wow you guys, thank you so much for the overwhelming response to my first chapter in this series of one-shots. Nearly 500 views and over 30 followers in four days! You guys are so awesome!**

 **I hope you enjoy this next one, it's a bit longer than the previous chapter. Remember, each of these is a completely separate version of the story, not a continuation! Please let me know if you like it, and if you have any suggestions/prompts, let me know! Enjoy!**

.

"O. M. GOODNESS!" The squeal from Clawhauser ripped through the station. It wasn't unusual for him to gush over something, but as Judy finished clocking out, she figured she might as well check to see what was the cause of the squeal this time around.

She pushed herself from her desk and started walking towards the exit of the ZPD. It was only then that she realized there was actually a small little crowd gathered around the cheetah's desk. There were some gasps and then some applause as Clawhauser squealed again.

Moving towards the side of the crowd, Judy finally saw the source of the commotion.

 _Of course...it's Nick._

"Heya, Carrots!" Nick said nonchalantly as he saw her approaching. "Come over and join the fun!" He was sitting at a little side table next to Clawhauser's desk with a pack of playing cards. He skillfully riffled the deck together, pushing up with his paws to let them coalesce together in a quick flourish. He used his paws to cut the cards in odd ways, moving small packets of them around each other before bringing them back together.

"What are you doing?" she asked, feigning annoyance.

Wolford turned to see her. "Wilde's been showing us some of his old hustles!"

"Yeah, Carrots, wanna try your paw at it?" Nick wiggled his eyes, winking at her. "We're not betting real money, anyway. It's all harmless fun at this point."

"Oookay Slick, you know you can't get anything past me." She moved herself to right in front of the table. Sitting down across from him, she smoothed her ears back and gave him the half-lidded smirk she'd been perfecting lately.

"That's the spirit! Let's do one of my personal favorites: The Three Card Monte." Nick pulled three cards from the deck, a queen of hearts, a two of clubs and a two of spades. He placed the rest of the deck to the side, slightly bending the cards so they sat up like tiny little tents on the table. Flipping them over one by one, he motioned to the queen.

"How does this work?" Judy had to admit, she was never one for cards. Growing up, her parents always shunned gambling of any kind, so playing cards were a rarity in and of themselves.

"Keep your eye on the lovely lady here, you follow her and pick correctly, you win. If you pick the deuces, you lose. Sound simple enough?" Nick cut his eyes over to Wolford who held back a laugh. The wolf had just got done watching Nick scam his co-workers for twenty minutes, so he knew Nick had some tricks up his sleeves.

"You're on. This'll be a piece of cake!" Judy watched as he flipped the cards back over, hiding their faces. Slowly, his paws moved to pick the cards up, moving them around in various patterns to try to confuse her. But her quick eyes kept track of the queen effortlessly.

Finishing his maneuvers, Nick leaned back and said "So tell me, Officer Fluff. Where's the queen?"

"Easy!" Judy reached her paw out and flipped the middle card over, revealing the queen of hearts. "Ha! You have to be quicker than that to outsmart this bunny! Looks like I win."

Nick just smiled softly. _That's it, take the bait bunny._ He reset the cards, with the queen being the only one face up. "Okay, I'll go a little faster this time."

Nick motioned with his paws again, turning the queen over with one of the other cards. He began rearranging them again, using new patterns. He knew Judy's eyes were on the queen like a laser, but this time, it wouldn't matter. What Judy _hadn't_ seen was the very smooth switch he had pulled. Her eyes were following the wrong card.

"See if you can go two for two, Carrots. Where's the queen?"

"You were still too slow, Slick. She's on the right." He pointed down to the card on her right, sitting back with smug look of victory on her face.

"Ooo...sorry Carrots." He flipped the card over, revealing a two of spades and causing a ruckus of the officers still watching. "It's a bummer, really. Better luck next time." Judy's eyes nearly popped out of her head.

"What!?" She reached for the other two cards, flipping them over to make sure the queen was still there. "But how...I saw it moving the whole time!"

"My bad, Carrots. I figured you could keep up. Want me to slow down?" Nick smiled.

"NO!" Judy sat back in her seat again, her ears back and her brow furrowed. "I must've just lost track. Do it again!"

On the outside, Nick maintained his smug grin. Inwardly, however, he might as well have been smiling ear to ear. _She's falling for it hook, line, and sinker. I'll go easy on her the next round._

"Alrighty, fluff. Keep your eye on the queen." No switches this time, but Nick did move the cards pretty fast. Judy looked on confidently as she focused on the movements, her ears straight up and her nose twitching like a fresh motor had just been installed. Her eyes darted back and forth, following the queen. When he finished moving the cards, she didn't even wait for him to speak, instead slapping her paw down on the queen, flipping it over immediately.

"HA! I got it right!" She bolted up, standing in the seat she was in. "Woot woot!"

Cheers erupted around her as the other officers watching rooted for her. She took a slightly embarrassed bow as she returned to her seat.

A booming voice cut the cheers short. "What's with all the noise out here!?"

Everyone's attention snapped over to the other side of Clawhauser's desk where their ever-intimidating chief now stood. He did not look pleased.

Judy spoke up first, "Uh...Ni-I mean Officer Wilde was just showing us some hustles to watch out for."

Bogo grunted, unimpressed. "Looks more like he's scamming his fellow employees with games of chance."

Nick chimed in lightheartedly, "No sir, no money is on the table. Just good clean fun and some lessons in paw-eye coordination."

Bogo's gaze swept the room, looking from officer to officer. Most of them had already changed from their uniforms. "Day shift is over. Are all of you clocked out?"

"Yes, sir." came from several onlookers.

"Then...I don't care. Just don't distract my back shift cops." He turned to Clawhauser. "I'm taking off for the evening as well. Calling it an early night. I've lived in this place a little too much this week. Close up for the shift and give my turnover to Higgins."

"Y-yes sir, Chief Bogo!" the cheetah stammered. It wasn't like the chief to take off so early, but apparently even he needed a break every now and then.

Bogo turned back to Nick and Judy. "So, Wilde, since I'm off the clock as well…" the ground shook as Bogo sat into the seat next to Judy. "Why don't you let _me_ have a go?"

Nick's eyes widened. "Uh..chief? You...sure?" He gulped...hard.

"Oh I'm sure, Wilde." Bogo's face turned into a sinister smirk. "Go ahead, _hustle me_."

Nick forced his trademark grin back on, trying to give an air of confidence. _This should be fun, but no matter. I've fooled more people than Bogo's arrested in his life._

"Well Chief, you seem pretty confident. Care to make this a little more interesting?"

Bogo's grin got even bigger. "Oh, certainly. Do tell, fox. What did you have in mind?"

"Well, how about if you lose, I get tomorrow off?"

"Nick! That's not something you can wager like that" Judy eyed the fox sternly.

"My bad!" Nick raised his paws innocently "If I win, Officer Hopps _and_ I get the day off." He looked back to Judy with a little wink. She tried to look furious, but couldn't suppress a small giggle.

"Very well." Bogo snorted. "And _when_ I win," his words were scathing, "you have to keep your shifty mouth shut during morning assignments and gladly accept whatever benign and monotonous task I give you... _for a week_."

That statement pulled more than a few mumbles and comments from their audience.

Nick smirked. "Deal."

Judy looked back and forth between the two, sensing a nearly tangible tension. Her ears were perked up, nose firing on all cylinders, and she failed to notice Nick eyeing her.

"You want in, too, Hopps?" Nick had caught her off guard.

"Wha...no, no no no, I don't…"

"Oh come on, it's just a friendly wager." he said, motioning his paws to Bogo. "We're all _friends_ here, right?"

"Uh...I don't...know...what kinda wager would I add?"

"Well…" Nick paused for a moment. _This is gonna be hard to pull off, but I know just how to get through this. Small change of plans..._ "I'll let you both pick a card when I'm done. If Bogo wins, he gets his end of the deal. If you win, then I owe you dinner tonight. If neither of you wins, we both get the day off tomorrow _and_ you have to clean my apartment."

Bogo looked to Judy, the nearly terrifying grin on his face still present. "Don't worry Hopps, I've been handling mammals like Wilde for years. You have nothing to fear."

"O-okay then." She turned back to Nick, a cautious but somewhat confident look on her face. "Deal."

"Well then, shall we begin?"

Nick flipped all three cards face up, motioning towards the queen. "Find the lucky lady, and the day is yours. Miss, and I guess that means the day is mine." Turning all three cards over, he moved to begin.

Bogo leaned down, letting out a long snort strong enough to blow across the table. The card on the far right, the two of clubs, was blown off the table by the action. "My apologies, Wilde."

Nick bent over to reach for the card, taking his eyes off the table for a moment. It was during that moment that Bogo swiftly reached down to the queen, ever so slightly putting a small crease on the corner of the card.

Judy saw the move, but Bogo's eyes met hers mouthing _Not. A. Word._

"Wow, chief, your breath's so bad the card ran away." Nick said, getting back up to the table. Placing the odd card back face down, he readjusted himself and began the game again.

Bogo and Hopps' eyes trained onto the small indent on the corner of the queen, which made the card effortless to locate. Nick moved the cards around and around, quicker than any of the previous rounds. Judy was impressed at his speed, on more than one occasion losing track of which card was which until she found the crease again.

After a much longer shuffle this time, Nick finally stopped, All three cards were face down, and Nick backed away. He folded his arms, his smugness levels reaching new heights as he waited for their decisions.

"You know, you almost had me there for a minute, Chief. Good thing I noticed your slight modification to my queen."

Bogo studied the cards, then a small gasp caught his breath as his eyes widened. He looked over to Judy, who had a look of complete disbelief on her face. All three cards had identical indents on their corners.

"Come on now, you two." Nick placed his paws down on either side of the cards. _This is a gamble, but I know it'll pay off._ "Take your pick."

Bogo reached his hoof up to his head, rubbing around his eyes. _I can't believe this…_ "Very well. I pick the card on the right." Several other officers were nearly biting their claws as they waited for the results.

Judy felt a wash of embarrassment come over her. Nick was just _too_ good. She nervously scanned the cards and moved her paw forward. She reached down and tapped the back of the card in the middle.

"I choose that one."

Nick sat back again. His exterior face was one of perfect calmness, but inside he was nearly giddy. _Perfect_. "Well chief...I hate to break it to you. But it looks like Hopps wins."

The watching crowd erupted with cheers and laughter. Bogo's eyes turned into an angry gaze as he flipped his card over, revealing a two of clubs.

"You have got to be kidding me." Bogo stood and backed away from the table. He'd been duped by Wilde...again. He slammed his hoof down on the table.

"Looks like lady luck just wasn't on your side today, Chief. Thanks for the day off."

"Shut it, Wilde!" He rose from his seat, rubbing his temples with his hoof. "Clawhauser…?"

The cheetah jumped to attention. "Yes, sir?"

"Clear Hopps and Wilde from the roster tomorrow."

"Chief?"

"Do it, Clawhauser. I'm a buffalo of my word." Bogo began to walk out of the station, mentally washing his hooves of the situation. "You win today, Wilde."

Nick slowly slumped into his seat, letting out a big breath. "Woo...that was tense, eh Carrots?"

Judy let out a light, somewhat stupefied giggle. "Yeah, that was pretty brave, Nick. Or dumb. Not really sure which."

"Well, this dumb fox owes you some dinner." Nick also got up out of his seat, leaving the two remaining cards face down on the table. "I better head home and get changed. I'll text you in a little bit when I'm ready." Nick started walking towards the exit, putting his paws in his pockets. _That worked out perfectly, now to wait for the grand finale…_

Judy still sat at the table, taking in all that just happened. The other officers had congratulated her for winning, and most had left by now. Her ears were still perked up as she gazed forward.

"Judy?"

Clawhauser's voice broke her from her stupor.

"Hmm?"

"You okay? You're kinda spacing out over there." The cheetah leaned down next to her.

"Nick is…" her voice trailed off. _Amazing...Incredible..._

Clawhauser could see the look on her face. He knew what she was thinking. "Yeah. He is, isn't he?"

Suddenly, her face changed, looking inquisitively at the cards which were still on the table. "Nick was a little _too_ smug after that. Why do I feel like even if he lost, he still won?" Judy reached her paw out to take the queen she'd correctly identified. Turning it over, she gasped. "No way...that's impossible…"

"What? What is it?"

Judy gave the card to Clawhauser, looking dumbfounded. While the back looked just like a standard playing card, the front was blank save for some very clean writing.

 _You win, Carrots. I'll pick you up for dinner at 6:30. Dress formal._

Judy promptly reached for the last remaining card, turning it over. It was another note, one that made Judy smile bigger than she had all day long.

 _It's called a hustle, sweetheart._

Through her smile she let out a loud laugh. "That sly fox…"

* * *

Nick finished up the final details of his suit. He looked at himself in the mirror, eyeing the gray coat and emerald green tie to ensure they were in place. "Nick Wilde, you are quite the specimen."

He wondered how mad Judy had gotten at him for the stunt he pulled earlier. He could only imagine the look on her face as she saw what was written on the other cards. The last time he had pulled a hustle like that, he and Finnick had to run for their lives from a _very_ upset rhino. That was terrifying, but ultimately fun for the fox duo. This time, however, he had won a much greater prize than scamming a mammal out of a few bucks: a date with Judy.

He sighed as he looked away from his reflection. He probably should have just asked her to dinner like a normal mammal. But this...this was so much more fun. And today was _special_ , after all, even if Judy seemed to not notice.

He looked down at his phone. _6:00. Better get moving_. He walked out of his apartment, grabbing a set of keys as he left. _Time to arrive in style._

* * *

A bright red mid-mammal sized sports car pulled up in front of Judy's apartment complex. Nick sat behind the wheel of the car, sporting aviators and an incredibly smug grin. The clock read 6:26. It was highly unlike Nick to be early. _Must be losing my touch_. He reached for his phone, sending a text to Judy to let her know he had arrived.

 _[Gonna make me sit out here and wait all night Carrots?]_

A sudden wave of nerves hit the fox. He pulled the rear view mirror down to check his fur again. Brushing his fur with his paws, he tried to calm himself. _First impressions make or break a hustle. Your mark has to trust you from first sight. Look amiable, but distant. Make them question you out of curiosity, not suspicion. Get them to open up about their favorite topic: themselves._

Nick looked back at his own reflection. "She's not a mark, dumb fox. She's Judy. And you got this." He gave himself a finger point and clicked his tongue.

Nick relaxed back into the seat, trying to keep himself calm. Looking at the clock again, he saw it was now 6:33. "Ha...two firsts. I'm early…and she's late. Quite the role reversal."

As if on cue, a small figure exited the building. A flash of purple caught Nick's eye as he turned his head. His eyes nearly popped out of his head and his jaw dropped.

 _Is that...Judy?_

Judy had stepped out onto the sidewalk. She was wearing a stunning lavender dress. The material looked soft and smooth, perfectly accentuating her fur and shape. It was strapless, with some small ruffles at the top, and smooth all the way down to her legs. A small slit in the dress went up just above her knees. She stood, paw on her hip, looking slightly confused.

Nick took a second to take her in. _Oh wow…_ He quickly tried to compose himself and stepped out of the car. "Over here, Officer Fluff!"

Judy looked up and saw him, ears perking at the voice. She looked right at the car and back to him with a look of suspicion.

"Where did you get _that?"_ she asked. Nick had moved from his side to hers, opening the door.

"A friend who owes me a favor." He motioned for her to get in. "I wanted to make this a little special."

"Special?" she said, eyeing him as she moved towards the vehicle.

"Of course. Today is a very special day, after all."

As she walked past, Nick caught a whiff of her. _Lavender perfume to match the dress? Ha...she went all out._

Judy took her seat in the luxury vehicle as Nick went back to the driver's side. He closed the door, and turned his gaze over to her.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Ready for a free dinner that I may or may not have actually won? Yes, yes I am."

"Ah, so you _did_ see my little notes then."

"Yes, and I would ask how in the world you managed to pull that off...but I know you won't tell me."

"Well, a good hustler never reveals his secrets."

"Funny how hustler and magician seem interchangeable there."

Nick chuckled. "Difference between a hustler and a magician is just intent, Carrots. Hustlers try to not gain attention, magicians seek it out. But ultimately, it's all just another way to get your money."

"Well, since you didn't scam anyone out of their money today, which one does that make you?"

"A sly fox." He grinned as he looked back at her. "You know, Jude, I honestly didn't think you owned such a lovely dress. Never seen you wear one before."

Judy pushed her ears back with her paw. "Well...it's not exactly mine." She looked back at him, a little sheepishly. "There's another bunny on my floor named Cynthia. She always wears things like this and is about my size. So I asked her if I could borrow something."

"Well, I'm glad you did. You look absolutely stunning." Nick put the car in drive, finally getting them moving.

Judy looked out the window to hide her blush. "You don't look half bad yourself, Slick. That's a nice suit, looks very good on you." She eyed the interior of the car. "And this car...you must have a very well-off friend. Do you even have a driver's license? I've never seen you drive."

"Eh...depends on who you ask."

"How about the DMV?" Judy smirked at him.

"Okay, you got me. I do, in fact, have a driver's license. I'm not driving illegally, Officer Hopps."

Judy just giggled at how defensive he got. She let her eyes take Nick in. _He really does look really good in that suit._ She looked away and smiled. It was far from the first time they'd gotten dinner together, but to be all dressed up like this...it made it feel different. The car, the suit, and... _is he wearing cologne? He's always been a charmer, but this…_ Judy's face went blank for a moment. _This is a date._

Judy tried to get her bearings. _Don't think too much on it, dumb bunny._ She looked down at her paws, nervously fiddling with the fabric of her dress. She was never really comfortable in dresses.

 _Why am I so nervous? It's Nick, you know him. You've been around him dozens of times. You've eaten with him, watched movies with him, gone on walks with him…_

 _But this is a date._

 _No, it's not a date. It's just Nick being Nick. He'll likely try to embarrass you._

 _But I'm dressed up...fancy car, going somewhere formal...he said today was special._

 _What kind of special? OHMYGOSH...is it his birthday?_

 _No, his birthday is a couple months from now._

 _Is it YOUR birthday?_

 _I think I'd remember my own birthday._

 _Are you gonna keep debating with yourself or pay attention to the incredibly handsome fox next to you? Oh gosh he's looking at you, say something. SAY SOMETHING._

"So...where are we going?" Judy's voice shook with faux pleasantry, and Nick noticed.

Nick looked back to the road. "Well, my suddenly introspective bunny, we are going somewhere very nice tonight."

"You didn't get me all dressed up to go to Bug-Burga, did you?" she snickered.

"Nope." Stopping at a red light, he lowered his aviators with his free paw, looking over at her. "Le Monde restaurant in the Rainforest District."

" _Le Monde!?"_ Her ears stood on end and her eyes widened. "That place is crazy expensive, Nick! You can't take me there!"

"Haha...it's not so bad. I can splurge once in awhile."

"It's not even that, don't you need reservations like a month in advance to get in?"

"Relax, Carrots. Trust your partner. I got it taken care of."

"But Nick-"

"Chill, Fluff. I told you dinner was on me. Let me treat you tonight. I promise you won't regret it." With that, he pushed his shades back in place as the light turned green.

* * *

Pulling up to the front of the restaurant, Judy was in awe. Everything about it screamed classy, expensive, and way out of her comfort zone. A young ferret wearing a valet vest approached the vehicle, opening the door for Judy as she got out. Nick came out the other way, tossing the keys to the ferret.

"Take good care of her, she's special."

"Yes sir!" said the ferret, giving him a valet ticket.

Nick walked over to Judy, offering his arm to her. "Shall we?"

Judy blushed as she tentatively took his offer. "I can't believe you got reservations to this place."

"Oh, I don't have reservations." he looked down at her, grinning.

She pulled her arm from his, turning to look at him. "What? Then how are you planning on getting us in here, dummy?"

"The owner of this place owes me, he'll get us in."

"You know the _owner_ of one of the most high class restaurants in Zootopia?" She looked at him with doubt.

"Uh-huh, I told you, I know everyone."

Walking in the entrance, Nick looked for the hostess. A young female antelope in a white dress stood at a small counter, taking phone calls and directing guests to their tables. She saw Nick and Judy approaching.

"Good evening, welcome to Le Monde. What time is your reservation for?"

Nick stepped forward. "For that, you'll need to speak with Mr. Bagheera."

"Excuse me, sir?"

Nick looked back at Judy and winked. Turning to the antelope again, he said "Please tell Mr. Bagheera that Nick Wilde is here to see him."

The antelope looked at Nick with a small amount of suspicion, but put her hoof up to her ear and spoke into a headset. "Mr. Bagheera?" She paused for a moment until she got a response. "Yes, sir, I'm sorry to bother you. A Mr. Nick Wilde is here to see you." At that, the antelope's eyes winced slightly. She looked back to Nick and Judy. "Um...I think he said he's on his way out. Please just give him a moment."

Judy gave nick a half-lidded look. "Doesn't seem like he was expecting you, Nick. One of your old friends, or one of your old marks?"

"Carrots, you think that lowly of me?" He held his paws up to his chest as if hurt by her words. "He's...kinda both."

"Right. Well I hope you didn't get me all dolled up for nothing."

He reached his paw out and russled the fur between Judy's ears. "Have I ever let you down?"

"Do you want a comprehensive list?" she said, half laughing, as she pushed his paw away.

"Ouch, that hurts, Fluff." Judy giggled at him as she lightly punched his shoulder.

A voice from behind them snapped them back to attention.

"To what do I owe the displeasure, Wilde?" A very proper black panther stood behind them. His tuxedo was pristinely white, and reeked of elegance.

"Aww...don't be like that Baggy! It's been awhile!" Nick moved over, offering a paw to the panther.

Bagheera looked at the paw, his arms firmly held behind his back. "It's been three years, Mr. Wilde. And if I'm not mistaken, the last time I saw you I told you that you were not, in fact, welcome here."

"Nick, what did you do to this poor mammal?" she moved to his side.

"For starters, Carrots, he's not _poor_. He's filthy rich." He looked back over to Bagheera. "Go ahead, Baggy. Tell her all about your various money making _ventures_."

Bagheera looked to Nick, then over to Judy. "My dear, I'm not sure why you have decided to punish yourself by hanging around his particularly infuriating mammal-"

"She's my partner."

"Partner in what? You roped this young doe into your hustles, Wilde?"

Nick smiled. "Nope, she roped me in. I've given up that life." He reached inside his suit coat, pulling his badge from his wallet. "I'm part of the ZPD now."

Bagheera's eyes widened at the sight of a badge. "That's preposterous! Nick Wilde, a ZPD Officer?"

Judy hated it when people had this type of response to Nick's career change, but she understood. "It's true. Nick here is my partner on the force."

Bagheera looked to Judy for a moment. "Wait...a bunny officer? I knew I recognized you. Are you by chance...Judy Hopps?"

Judy stood up a little straighter. "Yes, yes I am."

Nick stepped back. _This should be good._

Bagheera's face softened. He knelt down next to Judy. "Miss Hopps I must say, it is a pleasure meeting you in the fur. I know you don't know me, but I know a lot about you, and my family owes you many thanks!" He reached his paw out to her.

Judy took his paw, still not used to people recognizing her in the city. "I'm flattered, Mr. Bagheera. Can I ask how I earned the gratitude?"

"Of course, of course. You may not know me, Miss Hopps, but you do know my younger brother. His name is Manches."

Judy's eyes widened. "Mr. Manches...from the missing mammals case?" She looked to Nick, who raised his arms innocently and shook his head.

"Yes, Manches is my younger brother. Because of your efforts to solve that case an antidote was found that healed him of his savagery." He looked at Judy with earnesty in his eyes. "I cannot thank you enough for helping save my brother."

Judy blushed and stumbled on her words. "Well...I mean I couldn't have done it without Nick." She motioned to him. Bagheera turned to look at Nick, disbelief in his eyes. Nick just gave a smug grin and nodded.

"Wilde...you really are a cop now?"

"I sure am, Baggy. And I get to work with this lovely heroine of a bunny every day. Can't ask for a better redo."

Bagheera had stood back up, looking over to the hostess. "Miss Sharon, please prepare a private table for Miss Hopps...and Mister Wilde."

"Mr. Bagheera, that isn't-" Judy started.

He raised a paw to stop her. "Please, Miss Hopps. It is the _least_ I can do for the officer who brought my brother back to our family. And if someone of your caliber can trust that Wilde has changed...then I suppose I can as well." He looked back at the antelope, who stood cautiously. "Preferably _now_ , Sharon."

"Y-yes sir!" The antelope darted off into the restaurant, clapping for other workers to follow her.

Bagheera turned back to Judy. "Please, wait here while we prepare a table for you tonight." He faced Nick, a slightly flustered look on his face. "Seems you have hustled me again, Wilde. By your evident change in career, I trust you and I will be on... _amicable_ terms from henceforth?" His eyes glared into Nick's.

Nick just simply looked back with his standard half-lidded smirk. "Don't worry, Baggy. I've always considered you a friend." He gave the panther a small wink before walking over to Judy's side.

Bagheera bid them good day and walked away just as Sharon came back to inform them their table was ready.

"Please follow me, I'll lead you to your table."

* * *

Beautiful classical music played in the background. The restaurant itself smelled of amazing food, and well dressed servers darted back and forth tending to their guests. Nick and Judy, however, were led to a smaller table near the edge of the restaurant, relatively private. Nick pulled out the chair for Judy, who thanked him and sat down.

"Such a gentlefox."

"Always." he laughed. Nick took his seat as well as a ocelot server filled both of their glasses with water.

"Good evening, my name is Simon and I'll be your server. Take some time to peruse our menu, for the fox I'd recommend our wood grilled salmon. For you, miss, I'd recommend our salade du jour, which is a medley of fresh greens, roots, sliced almonds and a carrot vinaigrette. Please, take your time." The ocelot took a small bow and walked off, leaving them alone.

Nick picked up the menu and began looking through it. "Salmon sounds good, and I'm sure you'd love that salad."

"How?"

Nick dropped his menu, seeing Judy staring at him with a confused look on her face.

"How what?"

"How do you always do this?"

"Carrots, you'll have to be a bit more specific."

"No matter where we go, what we do...you're always in control. You always know what to say, how to act...you knew Manches was Bagheera's brother, that's why you brought me here."

"Score one for you, Fluff."

"This whole day...you've been playing every single person around you...even getting me to do exactly what you want. The cards earlier...tricking Bogo...getting me dressed up...getting us into this incredibly fancy place…"

"Jude, you make it sound like I'm some kinda chessmaster."

"I'm starting to believe you _are_." Judy sat back, looking at him. Nick couldn't quite place her look... _maybe I'm pushing a little too hard today._

"I told you, today is special. I've been planning all of this for a while now. Of course I'd do some homework and make sure all paths lead where I wanted to go."

"There you go again...what makes today so special, Nick?"

Nick put his menu down, folding it. He looked to Judy, meeting her beautiful violet eyes. "You really don't know?" Nick let out a small laugh. "It's been a year, Judy. Exactly one year since the bridge."

Judy gasped. _How could I have not put that together?_ "N-Nick...I'm sorry...I must've for-"

"It's okay." he raised his paw to her. "I honestly figured you wouldn't realize it. We've been pretty busy this past week. But we both know that day changed our lives. After that, a month went by before I was accepted to the academy. Nine months of training, and now two months of working with the most amazing partner in the world. It's been a full year since you came back into my life and saved me."

Judy lowered her eyes, smiling. "I...I didn't do anything, Nick. I was just trying to fix things since I messed everything up at the press conference."

"No, you didn't mess anything up. You were manipulated and thrust into a situation you weren't prepared for. If anything, that press conference was Lionheart and Bellwether's fault." Nick ran his paw over his now lowered ears. "You offered me something I never had before: understanding. You looked past what the world saw in me and looked into my heart to see who I really was. And if anyone messed up at that press conference, it was me. I didn't extend that same level of understanding back to you. I...I ran away and left you there, after all you'd done for me. Then, that day...that day when you came back to the city and found me under the bridge...that was a very dark day for me, Carrots. I nearly gave up hope for myself, for the world around me. Then you came crashing back into my life and gave me a purpose again."

"Nick...you were the only one I could trust."

He reached across the table, lightly taking Judy's paw in his own. "And that's how you saved me. You gave me something no one else had ever given me. You gave me a chance to be something."

"But you could have done that for yourself…"

"No I couldn't have." Judy's eyes came back up and met his. "Judy, you believed in me. You trusted me. You gave me the drive to push forward. That's what gave me the strength to get through the academy. But even then, without you, no one could have taken a fox cop seriously."

"Nick…"

"Judy...today is special because I'm one year into a new life that I could have never had without you. You saved me." He lightly squeezed her paw before releasing. "And I'd like to celebrate that with you."

Judy thought for a moment. _He's so sweet...in a really arrogant kind of way._ "You know, Nick, you could have just told me and asked me to dinner like a normal mammal."

"And what fun would that have been?" He gave her a sly grin. "It was totally worth it to get tomorrow off by fooling Bogo."

"Ha...so...how'd you do that? How'd you rig the game like that?"

Nick casually pulled his menu back up, ignoring her request with a smile.

"Oh come on, _please?_ " She made big bunny eyes at him.

Nick sighed. _I can't say no to those eyes._ "I'd done that hustle a million times. It's a rigged game from the start."

"You mean you let me win the first round?'

"That's how it works. Give the mark the first round, bait them into playing again."

"So you lull the mark in with a false sense of security by letting them win a couple rounds?"

"Yup. Then you egg them on and make them think it's their idea to keep going. Then, once you have them confident they can win, you increase the stakes. If they accept, you pull some sleight of paw to ensure you win, then walk away a much bigger winner."

"That simple, huh?"

"Yup. That simple. Standard hustle."

Judy giggled. "You know...that sounds like our entire relationship, Nick."

Nick put the menu back down. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"You hustled me by making me think I was winning by helping you buy a jumbo pop. Then I hustled you back and got you to help with the case. We both hustled Bellwether at the museum. All of them were the same, make the mark feel comfortable, then trap them with their own arrogance and pull a trick of some kind to clinch victory."

"You would have made a wonderful hustler, Jude. Too bad we both chose the higher path, eh?"

Judy giggled. The server had made his way back over to the table finally, and Nick and Judy placed their orders, both taking the recommendations given earlier. The two chatted comfortably while waiting for their meals, revisiting several of the cases and arrests they'd made in the past couple months. Nick told stories of the academy training he didn't know if he'd already told Judy yet. Their conversation never lost steam even as the food arrived.

"And then, when you jumped on the tiger's back, gosh Jude you should've seen his face!"

The two laughed. "I bet it wasn't nearly as bad as Bogo's face today when you tricked him." Judy gave a playful smirk.

"Alright, I'll admit it, I was a little nervous when the chief sat down with us. I had to pull out all the stops for him."

"How did you notice he messed with the card?"

Nick laughed. "I noticed the instant I got back up. Crimping cards is a common counter hustle."

"And a sly fox like yourself can't be taken by something so simple?" Judy chided.

"Of course not. I simply ignored it at first, then as I was moving the cards I was nudging the corners with my paw, gradually crimping all of them. That's another key of hustling. Let the mark _think_ they have some control, even if you have to get them to think they're pulling a hustle on you."

"No wonder you make such a good cop, Nick. You are always one step ahead of those around you." Judy brushed her ears back. "I gotta admit...it was pretty _amazing_ watching you do your thing today."

"Why Fluff, you might make a fox blush with that kinda talk."

"Oh hush you. You've made me blush more than enough for both of us today."

Nick calmly put on a grin and met Judy's eyes. "You know, purple is quickly becoming my favorite color. That dress really brings out your eyes."

Judy felt heat rising to her ears, and turned her face away from him again. "Dumb fox, stop making me blush already!"

Nick let out a long laugh as Judy's ears nearly turned solid pink. "Oh come on, you don't know how to take compliments?"

Judy's eyes fell. "Well...no. No one ever really compliments me...except for you."

"Aww...Carrots, that's sad. I figured you'd have bunnies beating down doors to compliment you."

"Nick...stop. I'm...not used to you being quite this charming with me."

Nick reached over and took her paw again. Judy's ears perked up and she slowly turned back and met his eyes once more.

"I'm sorry if I'm embarrassing you, I just want you to know how special you are to me."

"Nick...I…" She pulled her paw away, looking down. "I don't know what to say. I'm not as good with words as you are."

"If I'm making you uncomfortable…" Nick began to sit back in his chair, ears dropping.

Judy quickly sat up and moved a little closer to him. "No, no, that's not it at all. I just...I'm not good with this kinda stuff, Nick." She stood up and moved over towards him, bringing his attention back up to her. "You're...special to me too. I'm flattered that you'd go to such...well frankly such absurd lengths to impress me." She gazed into his eyes, softly adding "But you already impressed me, Nick."

A genuine smile came across his muzzle. "I guess I did go a little overboard today, huh?"

Judy brought her fingers together. "Just a _tiny_ bit." They both laughed. "I think Bogo's pride will recover, though."

After a little bit more laughing, Judy reached her paws down and took Nick's. The two locked eyes again, smiling.

 _Gosh she's so beautiful._

 _He is so incredible._

 _I have to tell her. Just say it stupid fox!_

 _It's now or never, Judy, go ahead and say it!_

"I love you." The two stared blankly at each other for a moment, each shocked at the other. They had said the same words at the same moment. After it finally hit them, laughter broke out between them.

"I guess great minds think alike, huh?" Nick laughed again, still holding Judy's paws.

"I suppose they do." she smirked back.

"You're getting really good at that smirk, Carrots." Nick was leaning a little closer.

"I had a great teacher." she said, leaning herself.

"Careful, you might pick up some bad fox habits from me." He reached his paw up and brushed it against her cheek.

Judy nuzzled her face into his paw before looking back at him, her voice surprisingly flirtatious. "Oh, I guess we wouldn't want me to learn how to be _foxy_ , huh?"

"Of course not, no one bunny should have that much power. It just wouldn't be fair."

"Nick...will you shut up and kiss me already?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Nick gently pulled her closer and their lips met. It was slightly awkward at first, but with a little adjustment they made it work. Judy practically melted into the kiss, letting her ears drop down as she reached up and ran her paws over the fur of Nick's cheeks. After a few moments of bliss, the two parted, gazing into each other's eyes again. They were both practically giddy, and nothing was going to ruin this moment.

"Ahem…" The voice came from beside them. A black panther in an incredibly expensive white tux stood, attempting to gain their attention.

"Oh sweet cheese and crackers!" Judy nearly lept back to her seat. "Mr. Bagheera!" She was almost visibly red with blush.

Bagheera smiled. "I was simply coming by to see how your dinner was. I didn't know I was interrupting _dessert_."

Nick let out of laugh.

Judy wanted to crawl under the table and disappear.

"Be careful with this sly fox, Miss Hopps." Bagheera placed their check on the table. "And Wilde...try to make actual reservations the next time you come here. I do hate being caught off guard."

"No problem, Baggy." As Bagheera walked away, Nick picked up the check. "Let's see the damage...what? No way!"

"What's wrong?"

"That dirty panther." He laughed as he slapped the check back down on the table. Judy picked it up and studied it. The bill at the bottom of the check read "$0.00."

"He comped us the meal!?" They both laughed. "What kinda history do you have with this guy?"

Nick picked up his coat. "That, my dear, is a different story for a different day. Just suffice it to say we had a unique working relationship."

"Hopefully not like ours." she giggled.

"Certainly not." he smirked.

Walking out, Nick offered his arm to her again. Judy gladly took it this time.

* * *

Pulling up to her complex, Nick put the car in park. There had been a content silence between the two for the most part, neither really eager for the evening to end. It was now nearly 9:30.

Judy looked out, then back at Nick. She smoothed her ears back and reached out a paw for his. "This...this was amazing, Nick."

"I couldn't have imagined a better end to this special day." He looked into her eyes. "I wanted to make sure today went perfect, but please don't expect me to hustle everyone in a 20 mile radius for each of our dates."

"What, you mean they might be normal, every day dates?" she smirked.

"Well when you put it that way, it sounds bad." Nick seemed flustered. "I may have set the bar too high tonight, I suppose. I'll have to work hard to keep you on your toes."

She smiled. "I already don't know what to expect with you from day to day. That's what I like about you so much."

"Oh, not my rugged good looks?"

"Those are pretty nice too."

"How about my incredible sense of fashion?"

Judy rolled her eyes. "Yeah...can't forget about that one."

"My incredibly witty puns?"

"You're pushing it, Nick."

"It's what I do, sweetheart."

Judy looked back at him, taking in his standard smug grin. "You are incorrigible."

They both laughed. Nick unlocked the car doors. "May I walk you to your destination, madam? It is quite late at night, and a gentlefox such as myself would be remissed if I didn't see you safely to your home."

"Why certainly, good sir." Judy giggled.

Getting out, he took her paw in his own as he walked her to the entrance of her apartment building.

"Thank you for tonight, Nick. Hustles and all."

"You know, since we have tomorrow off, I figure we can spend the day together."

"I'd like that."

The two stood, staring into each other's eyes for a moment under the small exterior light. Judy reached up, grabbing Nick's tie and pulling him down lightly. Her lips met his for the second time that night, and they let the moment linger.

 _I could get used to this._ Nick thought.


	3. I Take Thee

**A/N: This chapter took some time due to me re-writing major sections of it a couple times. I also almost uploaded it in two pieces, but you guys would have HATED that, _trust me_. This chapter is also riddled with references to other works, so if you catch some of them let me know!**

 **Thank you SO MUCH for almost *1400* views and nearly *50* followers after only two chapters. I am BLOWN away by you guys. I really hope you enjoy this chapter, I put a lot into it. It's a little more mature in that I do include a couple references to alcohol, but I always like to keep my stuff as clean as possible. Please drop me some reviews and follow because I have so much more planned! Thanks again! Enjoy!**

* * *

Weddings are beautiful things. They are the ultimate moment for two lovers to finalize their love before the whole world. They are a beautiful ceremony and tradition dating back thousands of years for a simple purpose: a celebration of love. Judy Hopps just couldn't wait for the day she and her parents never thought would come. After all, Judy's entire life had been devoted to reaching her dream of becoming an officer. Love had always taken a side seat to her passion and purpose. When it had found her, it had taken her by complete surprise. Things moved quickly, but that's what everyone said happens when you find true love.

Judy's parents had sought out a highly recommended wedding planner from the city to help out with the special day. Franck Lepori, an incredibly successful hare, was the best at what he did. Having heard of the wonderful things Judy had done for the city, he was delighted to be a part of the bunny heroine's special day. He was a bit eccentric, Judy's father noted, but seemed to know his stuff. He set to work with Judy immediately.

"Judy Hopps, dahling!" the eccentric hare exclaimed in his odd way of speaking as he walked up, giving a hug to Judy and her mother as her father stood back. "We are gone to plan ze most bootiful wedding for you! A boonny such as you only deserve ze best!" Franck slapped multiple catalogs before her and her parents, showcasing different designs for flowers, dresses, arches, centerpieces, and of course, cakes. Bringing out his planner, his eyes widened as he looked at the proposed date. "Uh oh, HELLO! Ze wedding eez in three months, that doont give us very much time. But...zat doont bother me much 'cause we can do eet and eet will be spectacular! You have ze list of guests?"

Stu looked on, very confused. "Excuse me...what did you just say?"

Bonnie looked to Judy and nodded, "Yes, we have a full list of the guest we'd like to have present for the ceremony."

Franck slammed his planner shut and threw his hands up in the air. "Fabulous! Okay so here eez what I suggoost, I suggoost zat we select a cake first, 'cause very ofteen a cake determine what kind wedding you end up having." Sliding a cake catalog towards the family, Stu Hopps nearly choking when he saw the price tags on the cakes.

Judy simply giggled at the whole ordeal. This was all new to her, there was so much to plan out before the big day.

It took time, but over the next couple months all the plans were set.

The flowers were settled. Beautiful violet and blue lilacs and roses, Judy's favorites both for their aesthetic and flavor. These would be the colors for the wedding as well, accentuating the bridal party's outfits.

A perfect location had been found. The Thumpers, close family friends of the Hopps, had a beautiful orchard on their property that Judy had grown up near. The scent of fresh apples and other fruits wafted through the air, and there was a gorgeous pavilion in the center. It was used for picnics, festivals, and of course the occasional wedding. It would serve as the perfect backdrop for a perfect spring wedding.

Judy and her mother had found the most amazing dress. A soft white satin, laced with chiffon and strapless, showing her back and shoulders. The train flowed back, and would need to be carried by two train bearers. She chose not to wear a veil, but did want a beautiful bouquet to hold while her father walked her down the aisle. Stu Hopps couldn't believe Judy was getting married, caught off guard when the ceremony was planned for only a few short months after the proposal. However, he looked forward to walking her down the aisle to give her away.

Judy's closest sisters, Jessica and Joanna, would be her bridesmaids, with her mother serving as her Matron of Honor. Bonnie had bawled her eyes out at the engagement announcement, but cried again when asked to serve as the honor attendant in the bridal party. Judy reassured her that she could think of no one better to be next to her on the big day.

From the catering to the music, the table pieces to the photography, everything had been planned out in perfect detail. Judy constantly brought new ideas, colors, fabrics, and more to show to Nick in preparation. The long process was beginning to wear thin on him as each day she'd bring something new into the station to show him and the other officers. Nick knew the ceremony would be wonderful, perfect for Judy.

The only thing Nick couldn't stand about the whole ordeal was the _groom_. After all, he and Jack Savage never did get along that well.

From the moment that hare showed up, it had been an onslaught of emotions for Nick. Jack came in to work at the station as a ZBI liaison and took quickly to sweeping Judy off her feet with a suave exterior that even made Nick's fur crawl. Nick wasn't surprised; Judy never stood a chance against Jack's charm. He came with accolades, titles, records he had set and then broken himself, authority, power, and looks. He swooped in and struck while the iron was hot. Nick couldn't stand the smug looks he'd get, the coy smiles and the way Jack would parade Judy around as some kind of trophy. But Judy was happy.

And if Judy was happy...Nick was happy.

The wedding rehearsal had gone off without a hitch. The entire event was choreographed to a T, with each member of the bridal party and ceremony knowing exactly when to be where. Nick was honestly surprised when Jack asked him to be a groomsman, though no doubt it was at least in part to Judy's request. After all, she couldn't imagine a wedding without her best friend present.

Nick stood, two spots behind where Jack was, as the mock ceremony finished up. A local bunny priest was to perform the ceremony. Nick was the only non-lapin present, and felt awkward as he stood out like a very sore fox. As the priest closed the event, the families gathered together. Nick noticed that Jack's side of the family was very slim, which was unusual for their species. Jack had no siblings, few cousins, and an aging mother. It was actually Judy's brother, Jayce, that had been asked to be Jack's Best Man. Jack must not have had friends able to join the ceremony on such short notice, Nick figured.

It was decided it was time for the rehearsal dinner, which had been graciously catered by the Hopps family. Fresh fruits and vegetables, breads and sweets were laid out on tables as far as the eye could see. It was still early in the evening that Friday, and the wedding was not until 2 in the afternoon the following day, so the rehearsal dinner was set to be quite the party.

Nick was overwhelmed by the amount of bunnies all around him. The actual wedding would host several non-bunnies, such as several friends and co-workers from the city as well as many other mammals that were associated with the families in one way or another. But for tonight...Nick still stuck out. And unfortunately, not all the bunnies from the burrows had become as accepting of foxes. Many odd stares and even a few glares rubbed his fur the wrong way, but he ignored it all and put on a face for Judy. She meandered around the guests, laughing and smiling. Her ears never drooped. She was so happy, bouncing from family member to family member in a beautiful violet sundress that matched her sparkling eyes.

Nick couldn't look at her anymore. He turned away, grabbing a glass of champagne and wandering off away from the pavilion. He found a small bridge overlooking a brook that flowed through the orchard. As the sun began to finally fade, Nick stood alone, facing away from the ceremony. He was never much for parties, especially not since he left his previous life behind to become a cop. Social soirees were only good for getting information and meeting marks without drawing attention. When it came to actually having _fun_ , parties were draining on Nick.

Nick looked off at the moon as it made it's entrance into the evening sky. It was a nice, cool night and the scent of apples rode the wind as it blew over the bridge. It helped clear Nick's mind a little. After all the excitement, he was finally alone with his thoughts.

But in this thoughts, he was never alone. A certain bubbly bunny was always running through his mind, and tonight was no different. Nick looked out over the brook as he finished his glass of champagne, and just for a moment his mask, created by years of hardships and loneliness, began to wane. Slowly, ever so slowly, he let it be pulled aside, with a single tear appearing in each eye as the only evidence a bystander would notice. His heart softened as he replayed the last two years of his life, pondering for the thousandth time the two questions that plagued him.

One: what did he do to deserve to meet Judy, the amazing bunny that saved him and changed his life?

And two: how did he managed to screw it up?

He had spent the last two years with Judy as his best friend. She gave him meaning, purpose, a new start on life. He would never admit it, but he owed her. He owed her his very life. And that was what he was intent on giving her. He poured himself into the academy, working fiercely to get himself in top shape mentally and physically so he could have the honor of working with Judy. As partners, he put everything he had into the job he now loved alongside the partner he had always…

"There you are, mate."

The voice shattered his thoughts. As per his instincts, his mask came back, hard as ever. He turned a steely gaze towards the voice, which belonged to the hare at the center of his contentions.

"What's up, Jack?"

Jack waltzed up the bridge, glass in hand, as he moved towards Nick. His face was plastered with a curious look that Nick was having trouble placing. It looked a mix between smugness, faux pleasantry, and genuine concern. He stood next to Nick, looking out over the same brook.

"The bucks and myself of the groom's party are going to head out in a little bit. My last night as a bachelor shouldn't be taken lightly, after all."

"Isn't that interesting." Nick said as he continued looking out over the water.

"You know," Jack said, sipping at his champagne, "It's tradition for the groom to have a final night of masculine freedom before giving himself to a single female for the rest of his life."

"And I suppose I'm invited?" Nick asked. He knew Jack was only inviting him to be polite and keep up appearances. He also knew that he had no interest in any amount of heavy drinking or other nonsense the younger rabbits had in mind.

"Of course you are. It'll be fun. You _do_ know how to have fun, right mate? You've been quite the stiff tonight."

"Yeah well, I got a lot on my mind." Nick turned his attention away from Jack. He was the last mammal Nick wanted to see that night.

"I can imagine."

"I don't think you can, Jack."

Jack turned to look at him, dropping all of the pretense. "What is your problem, Nick?"

Nick stared out blankly at the approaching night sky. "I don't have a problem."

Jack's foot began thumping on the bridge, the sound carrying much farther than it should have. "You've been putting on a face all day, but I can see through that. You've had a chip on your shoulder ever since the day started."

"Drop it, Savage. I don't wanna talk about it." Nick began to walk away, fists beginning to clench.

"Perhaps if I got _Judy_ to ask you?" Nick stopped in his tracks and cut his eyes to the hare. "Ah, that got your attention. You'd hate for the little sheila to know you've been sulking all day, now wouldn't you?"

Nick quickly looked around, grateful that they were alone and far enough from the party. On impulse, he reached out his paw and pulled Jack closer by the front of his shirt.

"You listen here, Jack-off." Jack's eyes widened. "You and I both know why we're here today: because my best friend decided to marry an _idiot_. I don't like you, and you don't like me. But you…" Nick let go, backing up and returning to the side of the bridge, sighing heavily. "You make Judy happy."

Jack stepped back, brushing his clothes off where Nick had grabbed him. A smug grin returned to his face. "I knew it. You _love_ her, don't you?"

Nick simply turned away from Jack, praying the section of bridge he stood on would just give way and collapse.

Jack pressed on. "I hardly can believe it. A _fox_ , an ex-conmammal no less, in love with a bunny cop?" He saw Nick's ears lower. "It's nearly laughable. You never stood a chance, mate."

Nick did everything in his power to keep the growl growing inside of him from coming out. The last thing he needed was some pretentious hare telling him what he already knew.

"I have to hand it to you, fox. She thinks highly of you. She speaks of you all the time. But you should have known better than to think that a mug like you could ever hope to have such a wonderful prize."

Nick turned and cocked his eyebrow at Jack. "Judy isn't a _prize_ , Jack. She's not a goal. Not another record you can break."

"Judy is my ultimate goal in life, fox. There has never been a more perfect doe in the world. Only a lagomorph of my caliber would be able to tame her, make her mine." Jack's arrogant grin was grating on Nick's last nerve.

"Look here, hare." He growled as he pressed forward, leaning over Jack. "Judy isn't _yours_. She doesn't _belong_ to anyone. You should consider yourself lucky she even gives a furball like you the time of day!"

"She gives me _much more_ than that, mate."

Jack's smug face was just begging to be punched. Nick pulled his fist back out of reflex before forcing himself to stop. "You are testing my patience, Savage. I don't know what Judy sees in you."

"You don't have to understand it, fox. You just have to accept it. Judy loves _me_. I and her."

Nick turned back to the bridge, his head hanging down. "Judy _does_ love you, Jack."

Jack was taken aback by the sincerity in Nick's voice. He wasn't sure how to respond to the sudden change in demeanor. Nick slowly turned his head back to him. "She loves you. I don't know _why_ but I know she does."

Nick looked up at the sky, seeing the moon reaching up above the treeline. He knew what he needed to ask of Jack, and it hurt him to his core. But it needed to be said.

"Jack...please take care of Judy."

Jack's eyes widened in surprise. Nick had gone from insulting him to pleading with him.

"Um...excuse me?"

"Take care of her Jack. Judy is...she's so special to me. I may not be the one to make her happy...I may not be the one to protect her, comfort her in her times of deepest need. But I need to know that you'll do that. You and I may not get along, but we can agree on something at least. Judy is the most amazing mammal on the planet, and she deserves only the best."

Jack's ears lowered. Perhaps he had been a little too hard on Nick.

"I'll...I'll do my best."

Nick turned back to him. "You better. If you love her...if you love her as much as I do...you better not hurt her. Promise me, Jack."

Jack's eyes lowered, matching his ears. "I told you, I'll do my best."

"Promise me!"

Nick's strong words shook Jack. "I promise."

Turning back to the bridge for the final time, Nick stared out at the water. "I think I'll pass on the bachelor party tonight, Jack."

Jack nodded, understanding Nick for once. He turned to his side, leaving the bridge. Pausing at the base, he turned back to Nick to say something, but decided against it. Jack walked back to the party.

Once Jack was out of sight, Nick let out a huge sigh as his cracked mask began peeling away again. Letting out a small sniff, more tears began vying for position in his eyes. Nick wasn't good with emotions, normally hiding himself from them and them from others. But the strange mixture of happiness for Judy and sorrow for himself was blinding to his senses. He didn't notice until the footsteps were right behind him that he was no longer alone.

"Jack, I thought you had a party…" turning, he saw that the bunny approaching him wasn't Jack. "J-Judy?!"

Judy stood close to him on the bridge, her eyes full of tears. "Why, Nick?"

Nick steeled his expression again, but he knew it was probably too late. "Why what, Carrots?"

"Don't _Carrots_ me, Nick. Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I don't know wh-"

"Why didn't you ever tell me you _loved me?_ " Her words shot like a spear into his heart. Her eyes were red with tears and her ears down. Nick mentally kicked himself.

"I..." His mind raced, trying to come up with something to make the situation better. Somewhere in his vast expanse of vocabulary had to be something his silver tongue could produce.

"Nicholas Wilde don't you _dare_ try to weasel out of this. I heard _everything_."

"Judy...It's...it's not that easy…"

"I _waited_ for you, Nick." her words were choked on an oncoming sob. "I waited for over a year for you to tell me. I...I gave you every chance I could! But you were always silent. You never said it, even after I did."

Nick's ears fell down as far as they could go as he slouched his shoulders. All he could managed was a whisper. "I...was scared."

"Scared of what, Nick? We were together every day! Everyone assumed we _were_ together! I thought...I th-thought we made a perfect team…" she began to cry. She wiped her tears with her paws as she looked back up at him. "I waited for you to say it, because I didn't want to force it out of you. What were you so afraid of?"

"I didn't want to lose you."

The answer confused Judy. She walked up to Nick, looking up at him. "Lose me? Nick, you're my best friend. Why would you have thought that?"

Nick tried to back up and turn away, but Judy would have none of that. She stepped around him, pushing him back against the side of the bridge.

"Why, Nick?"

"Because I was scared I would screw it up like I do everything else!" the sudden harshness of his words made Judy back up a little. "Because you're the most amazing thing to ever happen to me, Judy. I didn't want to risk messing that up, our friendship, our partnership...I never wanted to lose you."

"So you pushed me _away?_ "

"I kept you at the distance where I knew I couldn't mess up. I wanted you always at arm's reach. God, Judy, do you know me at all? I'm a walking disaster waiting to happen! I didn't want to risk destroying what we had!"

"You are NOT a disaster! You're the kindest, sweetest fox I've ever met. You're the bravest, most giving, most loyal friend I've ever had! But you...you made me feel like I wasn't good enough for you!"

"Judy, no…"

"Don't you try to coddle me now, Nick!" she said as she pushed him back against the side of the bridge again. "I waited so long...but to me you had made it very clear it wasn't going to happen. And when Jack...when Jack came into my life…you just let it happen. I thought you just didn't want me..."

"I'm sorry, Judy."

"No! You don't get to be sorry!" she glared up into his eyes as she reeled back and punched him on the shoulder. "I _loved_ you, Nick. I loved you more than I knew was even possible. I was ready to give up...when Jack came into my life. You seemed content with where we were, so I let Jack take that spot in my heart. It was nice to have someone be so _open_ with how they felt about me!" Judy reeled back and slugged Nick as hard she could on his shoulder again, hurting her paw slightly. Wincing, she reeled back again for another swing.

Out of instinct, Nick reached up and caught her paw the third time. He pulled her towards himself as he leaned down, staring at her eye to eye. Maybe it was the champagne, maybe it was the stress of the day, maybe it was her lavender perfume, or maybe even the beautiful sparkle of her eyes that was still there despite the tears. Later on he'd blame that last one.

Nick pulled her into a kiss, crashing his lips onto hers. Without a moment's hesitation, he released Judy's paw and moved his arms around her. He felt her paws reach up and take hold of the fur on his cheek and neck as she kissed him back. Overwhelming emotions exploded in Nick, racing at a million miles per hour as his lips tried to communicate what was happening with his mind and heart. It felt so right, so pure, so good...until it ended.

As abruptly as the kiss began, Judy ended it. She pulled back, paws falling to Nick's chest as she looked up into his eyes.

"I'm sorry Judy...I love you. I always have, and I always will."

A shocked pain lit up Nick's face as Judy slapped him. She pushed back, pulling away from Nick. Nick let her go, reeling from the slap.

"Then you should have told me." She let out a sniffle, wiping her eyes again and then folding her arms. "Because now...now it's too late, Nick."

"Judy...I…"

"No, Nick. It's too late. I'm marrying Jack _tomorrow_." She turned away from him, wiping more tears away.

"Judy..."

"What do you want from me, Nick?"

Nick reached his paw out to her shoulder. "I just want you to be happy."

She looked up at him again, staring into his eyes. "What…?"

"Judy...all I've ever wanted is for you to be happy. Even if that means you marry Jack tomorrow. Is he...is he really who you want?"

Judy's sniffles finally began to calm. "Yes. Yes he is."

"Then if you're happy...I'm happy." Nick pulled everything he could from inside him to put a smile on for her.

The sounds of approaching footsteps caused the two to jump back from each other.

"Ah, zere is ze bride!" A light brown hare approached them. His outfit was bright pink and orange, accentuating his rather odd gait as he approached. "Disapparing from ze party like zat! And off wiz ze groomsmon? Naughty naughty foxy loxy!" said the hare, shaking his finger with a smile.

Judy giggled. "Franck, it's..it's not like that."

"Oh my goodness I was joost jocking wiz you, dahling." Franck laughed as he threw his paws up. "But my sweet boonny bride, we have so much to discoos before tomorrow's festivities!"

Nick stared at the hare, completely unsure of what was just said. "Carrots, did he just speak...any language I might know?"

Judy laughed, pushing on Nick's shoulder. "Of course he did, you dumb fox."

Franck eyed the two of them, hiding a sly grin. "Com com, Judy dahling! Weddings doont joost plan zemselves!" He snatched her hand as he began leading her down from the bridge. Judy looked back at Nick, slightly concerned.

Nick smiled. "It's alright, Carrots. I'm heading back to the hotel anyway. I'll see you tomorrow."

Judy smiled back before heading back towards the party with the freakishly excited wedding planner.

* * *

After arriving back at his hotel room, Nick undid his tie and threw it on the bed, reaching down into the mini fridge to see what, if any, drinks were available. He knew the little bottles of wine would put an extra charge on his check-out bill, but at this point he didn't care. He opened one, feeling it burn his throat as he downed it far too quickly before flopping on the bed. Anything to get the taste of Judy's kiss out of his mouth. He stared at the ceiling, replaying the events of the night through his mind.

Knowing he was finally alone, his mask completely vanished for the first time in...he didn't know how long. With his mask gone, his eyes filled with tears, sobs breaking his breaths as he pulled his pillow to cover his face. Nick finally understood the extent of his folly. He was so afraid of failing he had messed up. He was so worried about messing up that he failed. He feared loneliness so much he rendered himself alone. Judy was so perfect...and now she would spend her life with Jack. All because Nick couldn't bring himself to say what she had apparently known all along.

He rolled to his side, wiping the copious tears from his eyes as the wine began to take affect. His mind was flooded with what ifs, all hopeful pieces of nonsense in the face of his bitter reality. He'd give his fur for a chance to go back and start over again, but destiny had already afforded him a redo which he promptly wasted. His heart burned more and more as the waves of shame and regret overcame him.

The only thing Nick knew for certain anymore was that Jack Savage was the luckiest mammal alive.

The wine and exhaustion eventually mixed, shoving worry and anxiety out of Nick's mind long enough for him to fall asleep.

* * *

Judy and her sisters had made it back their parent's house and attempted to ready themselves for bed. Judy was never one to be a night owl, and had sternly denied any attempt by her sisters to pull her out to some silly bachelorette's party. She wanted to be rested and ready for the big day tomorrow.

Jessica had already gone off to bed with her husband, leaving Judy and Joanna alone. The two had talked nonstop about the wedding plans, the craziness of Franck, and how much their father was going to turn into a blubbering baby at the wedding. He did at every one of his daughter's weddings.

"It was odd seeing Nick there today, being the only fox and all." Joanna said.

Judy laughed. "Yeah, a few more will be at the wedding tomorrow. Gideon Grey is helping cater the reception, and I'm sure Nick's mom will be there. She calls me her bunny daughter, after all. She's a super sweet vixen. She always said I was a good influence for Nick"

"Sounds like she wanted a little bunny in the family, eh?" Joanna giggled.

Judy blushed, her ears turning pink. "Uh...I don't think…"

"Oh wow, I was just kidding Judy! You're blushing so hard!"

Judy pulled her ears down over her face trying to hide her blush.

Joanna laughed and pulled Judy's paws away. "Oh my gosh did something _happen_ between you and Nick?"

"NO!" she screamed as she turned her face away, now red as a beet. "I mean...not that I didn't...at one point…"

"Oooh scandalous, Officer Hopps! I'm sure office romances are frowned upon."

Judy lightly pushed her sister. "Can we talk about something different, please?"

"Ha ha, oookay sis. But it's good to know Nick has a thing for bunnies. After all he _is_ pretty gorgeous."

"JOANNA!"

"What? I'm single still, I'm the last of our litter without a mate. A doe's gotta have options, right?"

"I...I don't know if that's a good idea." Judy pulled away from her sister, remembering the events from the party earlier.

Joanna leaned back, looking lazily at the ceiling. "I wonder what it's like kissing a fox…"

Judy's mind wandered back to the kiss Nick and she shared earlier. She had let herself go for a moment, indulging in the kiss before she realized what was going on. Nick had caught her off guard, that's what she told herself. Still...it was…  
"Amazing…"

Judy snapped back to attention, realizing she had spoken out loud and Joanna was staring at her with her mouth wide open.

"Judy! _When!?"_ Joanna giggled and pressed forward, ready for all the juicy details.

Judy pulled her ears down again. She peeked out from her ears and said sheepishly "Well...about two hours ago?"

"YOU KISSED NI-"

Judy lept forward, covering her sister's mouth with her paws. "Shh! Oh my gosh you loudmouth, someone might hear you!"

Joanna nodded as Judy's paws came off her mouth. She lowered her voice just above a whisper. "You kissed Nick _tonight?_ Judy...you're getting _married_ tomorrow!"

"I know...I know…" she pulled her ears again, blushing so much she thought she might faint. "I noticed he and Jack had disappeared from the dinner. I followed them to that bridge overlooking the brook in the orchard, and I heard them talking. Nick was telling Jack how much he had always loved me and telling him he better take good care of me."

"Oh, that's so sweet…" Joanna put her paws over her mouth. "What happened then?"

"Well...I heard what Nick said and Jack walked back to the party. It...it got to me a lot. I...I had feelings for Nick for a while…" Judy looked down at her paws. "I talked to him on the bridge, asking him why he never told me. He said he was just scared he'd mess up or friendship. I got mad, punched him on the shoulder, and he grabbed my paw and pulled me into a kiss. It was..."

"Amazing? Yeah, you already said that."

"It was completely uncalled for. I slapped him for it."

"Judy...did you tell Jack?"

Judy looked at her sister with a look of concern. "No, and I don't need to. It doesn't change anything, I love Jack. I'm marrying Jack tomorrow!"

"Wow Judy, I never knew your love life was so complex."

"It's not complex! It's simple! I love Jack!"

Joanna thought for a moment. "So you're saying that sweet fox _is_ available?"

Judy groaned. "You're _terrible_. Let's get to bed. The single most important day of my life is tomorrow, and Franck will be irate if I'm not just as _fabulous_ as he is."

* * *

The big day was finally here. As if Franck's realm of influence also included the sky, the weather was _perfect_. It was a gorgeous spring day, with a mild breeze blowing through the trees of the orchard. Judy, her sisters, and her mother had all arrived at the Thumper's orchard for the final preparations. Franck had been there all night and all morning, ensuring that every last detail of the venue was to his satisfaction. The result was amazing.

"Welcome to your wedding, Judy." said Franck as the does arrived.

The pavilion had rows upon rows of seats prepared for the guests, ranging from smaller chairs in the middle towards the aisle to much larger seats around the edges for larger mammals who would be attending. Centered in the pavilion was an arch built of flowers. It looked completely organic, as if it had sprouted out of the ground and grown into a perfectly beautiful arch simply for the occasion. It was layered with the beautiful vibrant flowers selected for the day. A row of equally beautiful arrangements marked the path and outlined where the bridal party would stand. The position of the set-up was just-so to catch the sunlight perfectly, letting light through so that whomever stood in position would positively glow in the sun.

"Oh...it's so beautiful…" Judy's eyes teared up at the sight. She knew this would be forever burned into her memory as the most amazing day ever.

* * *

"You're going, Nick."

Nick stood, mostly dressed, staring into the mirror of his hotel bathroom. He had been debating for nearly an hour as he dressed and undressed, cursed and scolded himself, and contemplated taking another small bottle of wine out of the fridge.

"You're a full grown fox. You can handle a wedding."

The fox in the mirror didn't seem convinced. "You love her, don't you want to see her at her happiest? On the day she...marries some know-it-all hare?"

A large sigh escaped his muzzle. This shouldn't be as hard as he was making it out to be. He knew if he _didn't_ show up, it would cause Judy to be unhappy. He was going, and that was final.

He finished dressing, pulling his violet tie into a crisp knot and ensuring his outfit was as immaculate as he could. He brushed his fur, sprayed some cologne, and gave himself a final half-hearted finger point in the mirror as he exited. He looked at the time: 11:02. The ceremony was three hours away, and he needed to be there in two hours to get ready. It was time to find Jack, Jayce, and Joshua. So many "J" names...Nick figured that just meant Jack fit in all the more.

He meandered down the hall towards Jack's room. Upon reaching the door, his nose picked up a scent that caused him to reel back. The room smelled unmistakably like alcohol.

Nick knocked on the door, hoping Jack was ready to go. He really just wanted to get this over with. When no response came, he knocked louder. A faint rustle came from the other side.

"Jack? Come on bud, you got a pretty important date in a few hours."

More rustling, followed by some groans. A small knot started growing in the pit of Nick's stomach. He reached for the handle of the door, shaking it. "Come on, Jack-o. Time to go."

A sound of a thud and scrambling came from the other side. Nick thought he may have heard some choice words. Suddenly, the door opened, revealing a shirtless and _very_ groggy Jack Savage.

"Jack? Are you...oh god you're hungover!"

The hare raised a paw as his eyes closed. "Please, mate, my head feels like I just had a rhino stampede over it."

Nick pressed on the door, moving past Jack and into the room. "No, no, no, Jack! You've got two hours to get your head on straight before Judy rips it off! Come on, we gotta get you dress-oh my god!"

Upon entering the room, Nick saw two bunnies laid out as well. Jayce was laying face down on the floor, still holding a bottle. Joshua was sitting up in the corner, his ears flopped over his face.

"Jack, what happened last night?" Nick demanded, pulling his ears in frustration.

"Crikey, Nick...keep ya voice down mate…" the hare chided, holding his paw to his head still. "I think I remember most of it…"

Nick scanned the room, clothes were littered on the floor along with empty bottles. Finally getting used to the scent of alcohol, he began noticing other smells. One, two, three male lagomorphs...and two…

Nick turned an angry glare to the hare. "Jack...why do I smell two female bunnies in here?"

Jack's muzzle pulled into a sheepish grin. "Uh...the housekeeping sheilas?"

"Oh my god, you had strippers in here, didn't you? I can smell their cheap perfume, Jack."

"Oi, mate...don't...let's not get carried away. Nothing inappropriate happened here last night."

"Carried away? Jack...you're getting _married_ today, to my _best friend_ , but whoopsies, you're hungover. And last night, double whoopsies, you got that way with your bride-to-be's brothers _and two strippers_. And whoopsies number threesies, you have less than two hours to get yourself together, get her brothers together, and get to the wedding before Judy goes full-on Chief Bogo on you!"

"Nick, I'll be fine, mate. I've run ops more hungover than this."

"Good to know my tax dollars are well spent, Jack-off. So glad I started paying those."

* * *

Jessica, Joanna, and Bonnie were all dressed and ready to go. Each wore a lovely lavender dress chosen by Franck and his team. But the show-stopper was Judy. Her beautiful white dress glistened in the light of the sun. Bonnie began to tear up seeing Judy.

Jessica and Joanna headed out to try to find the boys, since it was getting close to 1:00. They would all need to be prepared to start welcoming guests soon. Bonnie stayed in the small makeshift changing room that had been built to the side of the pavilion.

"Judith, you look absolutely stunning."

Judy blushed and fought a round of her own tears. "Thanks, mom."

"I never thought I'd live to see this day, bun bun." A soft smile overtook her face. "You had us worried for a while."

Judy laughed. "Why did everyone seem think I would end up an old spinster?"

"Well, you were always so consumed with your goals. You just had to be an officer, and no one thought you could. You proved them wrong. Then you poured yourself into your job. You didn't have time for any romance, it seemed. Then you got your partner, and honestly for a while we were all placing bets on when you'd tell us you and _Nick_ would be getting married."

Judy's ears fell. "Yeah...that seems to be another common misconception."

"Oh I don't mean nothing by it, bun bun. You just had never been so close to any male, regardless of species. Nick and you just seemed to fit so well together."

Judy was glad she was currently turned away from her mother's view. Her face was flushed, and it would have been even more noticeable against the white of her dress. She took a minute to compose herself before facing her mother again.

"Mom...you would have been okay with your daughter marrying a fox?"

"Well, it certainly would have been a little...unorthodox. But we love Nick after all. He's so good with the kits." Both does smiled softly. "But what am I going on about? You're not marrying Nick! Jack's a wonderful hare! We were just surprised is all. He came outta no where from the ZBI to work with your station and then...boom! You two became an item just like that! Must've been fate!"

A small knot began welling up in Judy's stomach. Judy looked down at her gorgeous handmade dress; it was still shimmering in the sunlight. The weather was crisp and warm, perfect. Her family was excited. The venue was beautiful. Her storybook wedding was finally here. And something was horribly off.

A small knock came at the side of the changing area. "Hellooo! Are all ze boonnies dressed and presentable?"

"Franck!" cried Judy. He was a welcome distraction. "Yes, we're all dressed, come in!"

Franck entered the room, wearing an outrageously brilliant white suit. "Awww Judy dahling! Your dress eez so bootiful! So _fabulous_! What wild hare genius make zat for you?" Franck was beaming with excitement. He turned to Bonnie. "And you, momma, you look simply _spectacular_ as well. Ze groomsmon party has arrived. You leave Judy to moi, go see ze guests!"

Bonnie nodded with a big grin. "Okay!" She turned to Judy, nodding again. "Okay, bun bun, it's almost time! So excited!"

Her mother left as Franck walked over to her, looking over her dress.

"Judy, you look so bootiful in zat dress!"

"Thank you, Franck…" her eyes and ears were down as far as they could go. Franck immediately noticed.

"Uh oh...Franck knows zat look. Dahling eez you getting ze cold boonny feets?"

Judy looked back up, waving her paws madly. "No no no! No cold feet here, I swear!"

"Judy…" Franck moved to her, placing his paws her her shoulders. "This crazy hare has been in ze business loong enough to know when something eez _wrong_ wiz a bride-to-be."

Judy's eyes began tearing up. "Is it that obvious?"

"What's wrong pretty boonny, you tell Franck, yes?"

"I...I don't know, Franck. Just nervous, I guess. This has all been a very fast process." She reached up to wipe light tears from her eyes. "I only met Jack seven months ago. This all just...happened so fast."

"I see. Wedding nerves usually boonch up right before hand. Eez a big decision, dahling. My job eez to make sure ze beeg day goes perfect, but beyond ze wedding, eet's all on you and ze looky groom. But love...she eez mysterious. Friendship. Loyalty. Partnership. Desire. No one can tell you how to do eet right. You joost gotta _feel_ eet."

Judy let his words sink in. Her eyes were welling up with tears again, and she wrapped her arms around Franck. "Thank you...thank you so much."

* * *

The guests had all arrived. The pavilion was full of friends and family, all excited for what was to come. The priest stood under the arch, next to Jack. He had somehow managed to pull himself into a presentable form from earlier, years of practice paying off. His head still throbbed slightly, but he'd manage. This was his crowning moment, after all.

Music began playing softly as heads began turning. Towards the back of the pavilion, hidden by a row of linen columns, the bridal party prepared for their entrances. Joshua and Jessica would enter first, linking arms as they took to walking down the aisle to take their place. Next was Joanna and Nick.

Nick had kept himself from looking at Judy other than small bursts of pleasant smiles. Before they began their walk, Joanna turned back to see Judy and her father, who was already tearing up. Joanna caught Judy's eye, then motioned her head to Nick. She giggled and gave a very telling wink as she took his arm and pulled him down the aisle.

That wink hit Judy far harder than she would admit. A small, tickling feeling began gnawing at the back of her head.

A few moments later, it was time for Bonnie and Jayce to go. Bonnie had been scolding Jayce and Joshua for being so visibly hungover, but relented now that the ceremony had begun. She figured she could deal with them later. For now, she gave Judy a soft smile and then turned to take her son's arm as they walked down the aisle to take the final spot before the bride's entrance. Judy and her father were next.

"Aww...cripes the waterworks sure are bad today, Jude." There was the blubbering she expected. "I just never thought I'd see the day."

"Dad...it'll be okay. It's almost done now." Judy said. The gnawing was getting worse. Before she could think any further, the music changed to signal her entrance. She and her father walked around the linen wall and she was overwhelmed by the number of people present. Every eye was on her. She quickly scanned the crowd, noticing so many faces of loved ones there to see her.

Clawhauser was one of the more noticeable ones, holding his cheeks as he squealed. Past him, She could see Chief Bogo standing with one of the few genuine smiles she'd seen on his snout. Near them was the Ottertons, who had graciously provided flowers for the wedding. Looking to the other side, she saw Gideon Grey. Near him was Vivian, Nick's mother, who looked on at Judy with a soft smile.

She turned her gaze forward, seeing Jack waiting for her at the altar. As she reached the front with her father, she could have sworn the priest said something, but she didn't hear it. Her heart was beating in her ears and the gnawing was growing. Her father motioned her forward, and she took her place in front of Jack. She looked at him, his handsome smile she'd come to know and love over the past several months suddenly seeming foreign. Inside her stomach, a knot was forming like she had never known before.

" _Wedding nerves usually boonch up right before hand. Eez a big decision, dahling."_

She and Jack both turned to the priest as he began the ceremony in earnest.

"We are gathered here today…"

Judy's mind wandered during his words. She felt her paw in Jack's as he squeezed lightly. She looked over at him, seeing his eyes. He gave a reassuring smile as he looked back to the priest.

The smile didn't work to calm Judy's nerves though. Her mind raced, so fast she nearly felt her head spinning. She couldn't figure out what was going on with her.

"Do you have the rings?" the priest said, finally snapping Judy's attention back. Jayce reached out and handed a ring to Jack. The two turned to each other.

It was all happening so fast, Judy barely had time to process it. Before she knew it, a ring was on her finger and Jack was preparing to speak. The beating of her heart was nearly deafening, and she was almost sure the people in the front row could hear it by now. Her eyes wandered for just a moment, catching a glimpse of orange fur standing behind Jack. She saw Nick, looking directly at her with the most genuine smile he'd ever had.

" _What do you want from me, Nick?"_

" _I just want you to be happy."_

Her attention was pulled back into the present by Jack's paw on hers. She looked down, seeing the ring, then back up at him.

"I, Jack, take thee Judith, to be my wife."

The priest turned to Bonnie, who held another ring. She handed the ring to Judy, smiling. Judy looked to her mother, the gnawing in her mind continuing.

" _...honestly for a while we were all placing bets on when you'd tell us you and Nick would be getting married."_

Judy turned back to Jack. She reached out, taking his paw and placing the ring on his finger.

The knot in her stomach was a full blown boulder now. The gnawing in her mind was as ferocious as a savage panther.

" _But love...she eez mysterious. Friendship. Loyalty. Partnership. Desire. No one can tell you how to do eet right. You joost gotta feel eet."_

"I, Judith…"

Judy never was any good at romance, after all.

"...take thee, Nick-"

As the words escaped her mouth, she realized it too late. Her paws immediately shot to her mouth as the entire ceremony fell silent. She looked at Jack, who's smile turned to confusion.

"Wh...what, love?"

Behind him, Nick's face was blank, unreadable to anyone. Judy's words had hit him like a rusted train full of explosives. He couldn't even begin to process what had just transpired.

Bonnie's mouth hung agape, along with the majority of those present. Stu's mouth hung wide open as well, the occurrence even halting his blubbering finally.

Every eye was on Judy again.

"J-Jack! I take thee, Jack!" she let out an obviously fake laugh as she forced herself to smile.

Jack didn't seem amused. He eyed her as his face changed from confusion to concern.

"Judy...you...said Nick."

Judy's ears dropped as she looked down at the ring on her finger. It suddenly all made sense to her. The gnawing in her mind wasn't leaving her alone, drawing her attention to the very confused fox standing behind Jack.

"I'm...I'm so sorry Jack." Slowly, she pulled the ring back off her finger, and handed it back to him. "I can't do this."

Jack's ears dropped as he took the ring, looking at it in his paw. He looked back up at her, now seeming annoyed. "Are you...are you serious? You and I were _made_ for each other, Judy!"

"Sorry, Jack. Guess I've always been kind of a mold-breaker."

Huffing in anger, Jack gripped the ring in his paw. "You'll never find another mammal like me, Judith Hopps. I can't believe you've gone and embarrassed me like this in front of everyone, you lop-eared droob!"

Judy's eyes bulged at the comment. Jack's sudden anger surprised her; she'd never seen this side of him before. His sweet suave exterior had shattered. Before she could even react, though, an older bunny in a lavender dress came to her side.

"You will NOT speak to my daughter that way, you pompous hare!" Bonnie shouted.

Jack looked back at her, indignant. "And you're one to talk, ya old chook, you should be trying to talk some sense into this one here!"

"Now you listen here, Savage," Stu Hopps had stood up to defend his wife and daughter, "you better calm yourself down or-"

"Or what bunny bumpkin? You'll throw some carrots at me?" He reached out and pulled Judy by the paw harshly, causing her to cry out. "Judy is _mine_. I'll not lose her to some uncultured, vile, smart-aleck vulpine!"

"You forgot handsome."

No sooner than Jack turned to see the owner of the voice, a flash of orange fur came into view as Nick punched him square in the face, launching him backwards towards the crowd to a mix of gasps and applause. Nick caught his balance and shook his paw out.

"Whoo! I have literally wanted to do that for _months_." He noticed Judy staring at him now, eyes wide. "Oh...sorry Carrots. Didn't mean to break your groom."

She walked over to him and looked up into his eyes. For a moment, a smile pulled across his muzzle.

 _Whack!_

Nick's head jerked to the side as her paw slapped him right across the face.

"That's for ruining my wedding, Nick."

He reached his paw up, rubbing the spot she slapped. "Sorry, Carrots, I promise it won't happen again."

"It better not." she said as she reached up and grabbed his tie. "And this...is for protecting me." She pulled him down into an equally surprising kiss, yielding several cheers from the guests.

Stu Hopps was about to protest before Bonnie stopped him with a paw.

Judy and Nick's kiss ended as Nick nearly fell over. "I love _you_ , Nick."

"And I love you, Judy. I'm sorry it took me so long to tell you."

"I always knew...and I always loved you too. I'm just as much at fault."

"You know, Fluff, this is officially the craziest wedding I've ever been to."

Judy giggled. "Good, because it's now yours."

"Uh...what!?"

Judy turned back to the older bunny priest. "Father Burrows, is it too late to continue the ceremony with a... _minor_ substitution?"

The priest looked to the fox, then back to Judy. "Well...I suppose not."

"Great!" Judy replied. She looked back to a very confused Nick. "Oh, right! Formalities." She cleared her throat. "Nicholas Wilde, will you marry me?"

Nick paused for a moment, thinking. "Why Judy, I never thought you'd ask."

She gave him a half-lidded smirk. "Well, you weren't going to."

"Touche, Carrots. But I don't know...you're sure you want to marry me, just like that? I mean I _am_ just an uncultured, vile, smart-aleck vulpine."

"Nick?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up and get in position."

"Well if this is how you are now I'm not so sure about it."

She looked at him scornfully. "Nicholas Piberius Wilde, what did I just say about _not_ ruining my wedding again?"

Nick laughed as a smile came over his face. "Yes, ma'am."

In the back of the crowd, Franck Lepori stood near the cake he had worked so hard to make. On top of the cake stood a small plastic bunny bride next to a hare groom. Smiling, he deftly removed the groom, replacing it with a fox.

"Aaah love...she eez mysterious." He laughed to himself as he gave a sly grin. "But eet never hurts to be prepared."


	4. A Fox's Folly

**A/N: Over 3000 views and a ton of followers and reviews...you guys are amazing! I've been super busy lately, but I managed to pull another one of these out in between chapters of my new story, "The Search for Turalis" (shameless plug...go check it out!). Word of warning, this one is a little heavy and contains references to alcohol, but is still safely in the "T" rating. Enjoy, and let me know in the reviews section what you thought!**

* * *

 **A Fox's Folly**

* * *

Judy tapped her foot impatiently. She'd texted Nick twice now and hadn't gotten a response. She knew they'd had a hard week, but it certainly wasn't like him to just disappear after work.

Two days prior, they'd dealt with a fairly gruesome scene. Judy wished all their cases were simple things like robberies or traffic violations, but she knew that part of her job as an officer of the law meant dealing with the far uglier sides of Zootopia. The images of the scene were burned into her mind, and she knew they'd never leave. Unfortunately, that was to be expected. She knew it was part of the job...an unfortunate, harrowing part of the job.

By the time they arrived on the scene, it was all over. The neighbors had called in a report of a domestic disturbance, so the closest officers to the scene were dispatched. Nick and Judy responded, but it was far too late. The lifeless body of that tigress was the only evidence of the struggle that had taken place. Her husband had fled the scene, found a couple hours later by other officers. He willingly confessed to murdering her after finding out about an affair.

Nick had seemed to handle the situation surprisingly well, even when Judy was very taken aback by it. She was thankful to have him there, as he offered her a paw and a shoulder to lean on when she needed it. After clearing the scene for ZSI to come in, Bogo instructed them to take the remainder of the day off. Judy relaxed that evening, calling her parents and talking with them. Nick had picked her up some dinner and they shared it at her apartment. He seemed to know what to say to someone who had just witnessed something so horrible. Judy managed to suppress her tears for a little bit, only letting them out once Nick was gone and she was alone.

Thankfully, today had been spent cleaning up paperwork instead of crime scenes. But for the whole day, Nick had seemed just a little off. His wit was slightly dulled, just enough for Judy to notice. Things he would have normally picked up on went without commentary. When pressed, though, he insisted he was fine. Judy, considering herself to be likely the only expert on the subject of Nick Wilde, knew better.

When the two were clocking out for the day, Judy knew she had to confront him. She quickly grabbed her bag and ran to the locker room to change, but by the time she was ready Nick was nowhere to be seen. Two texts later, and her foot was tapping. She made her way to the front of the station, hoping maybe he would be there.

"Clawhauser!" she called as she got there.

The portly cheetah looked up from his latest donut and waved. "Oh, hey Judy! Where's Nick?"

"I was hoping you'd tell me. I went to change and he vanished."

"Hmm…" said the cheetah, stroking his chin. "I think I saw him leaving a little earlier, but I was a little distracted." Clawhauser lifted his phone up, showing Judy that he was watching the latest Gazelle video.

"You're not helping," she sighed. "I've texted him twice now, and he's not responding. He's been... _off_ all day, and I can't help but worry ever since we had that murder case earlier this week."

"Yeah, I heard about that one. Sounded pretty bad. I know if i were you guys I would have just balled up into a corner and cried."

"It was pretty bad…" she thought out loud. "But still, it's not like him to just leave me hanging. Especially on a night before our day off like this."

"Oooh, big date planned?"

Judy blushed as she rolled her eyes. "Clawhauser...it's not...it's not like that."

The cheetah grinned and let out a sigh. "Uh huh...and I'm skinny. I've seen the way you two act around each other. Always flirting and-"

A stony glare from the bunny shut him up.

"Okay, okay, goodness." He leaned back a little and picked up another donut. "You know, he's probably just out somewhere letting off a little steam. A first murder scene is nothing to joke about, and needing a break afterwards is nothing to be ashamed of."

Judy's ears lowered, but she nodded. "You're probably right. I guess I just wish...I wish he would have told me where he was going."

Clawhauser looked on at the little bunny, his heart aching for her. "I'm sure he'll get in touch with you when he's ready."

A small, somewhat forced smile came over Judy's face. "Thanks, Clawhauser. I'll see you later." She waved and turned to head out of the station.

As she got out into the street, she couldn't help but have Nick on her mind. She was really worried about him. Judy had talked with her parents and Nick about how she'd felt, and let herself feel the pain of seeing another life taken. She cried it out, and even spoken with the station's psychologist the next day per Bogo's orders. Nick hadn't said a word. She knew his usual motto of "never let them see they get to you", but this was different. This was deeper and more personal. Holding this in could really hurt him in the long run.

She pulled her phone out and decided that calling him would be best. The phone rang a few times until she heard the familiar sound of Nick's voicemail.

" _Not here, leave one."_

She sighed again. Even his ringtone bore his smug arrogance. She waited until the tone.

"Nick, it's Judy. Call me as soon as you get this."

She put the phone back in her pocket as she continued down the street. She had unconsciously started walking towards Nick's apartment instead of the subway. As she approached it, she stopped again. _What if he's not there?_

She called again.

" _Not here, leave one."_

Desperate, she bounded up the stairs to his apartment and banged on the door.

"Nick? Nick?" _Bang_. "You in there?" No answer. She spun around and leaned against the door, letting her back slide down it as she sat on the floor. She raised her paws to her face for a moment, trying to dispel her worry. "Maybe he just went out to eat, or maybe to visit his mother?" She smacked herself lightly on the forehead. "Stop worrying so much, you dumb bunny! He's a full-grown fox, he'll be fine!"

She stood up and made her way back down out of Nick's complex, reassuring herself the whole way down. She didn't need to worry about him, he could take care of himself. She needed to worry about herself, after all. If Nick was out taking care of himself, then she could do the same. She should go out, get something to eat, maybe hit the bookstore on the way home and pick up that new J.K. Growling book she'd been meaning to read.

Sighing with a tiny amount of relief after her decision, she felt a little weight lift from her shoulders as she made her way back towards the subway station. _Nick will call when he's ready_. She repeated the thought to herself a few times. _Stop worrying about him. Stop thinking about him._ She thought back to what the station's psychologist had said to her the previous day.

" _Unfortunately, it's not a matter of if an officer will encounter death on the job, but when. Everyone handles it differently, but we're always available if the affected officers need someone to speak with afterwards._ "

Judy thought on it for a moment. "Everyone handles it differently…" she whispered to herself as she descended the stairs to the subway. How had she handled it? The initial sight of the body was a little numbing to her. She and Nick had to force entry into the apartment after there was no answer. The lights were all on, music playing softly from the kitchen. Instinct and training kicked in as Judy immediately scanned the room for movement, stopping suddenly at the sight of a body on the floor.

Judy had rushed to the body, immediately checking for signs of injury only to see a tigress lying in a pool of her own blood. Without allowing her any time to process it, Nick urged her to search the rest of the apartment and question the neighbors while he called in the find per protocol. It wasn't until the medical unit arrived later and officially pronounced the tigress dead that Judy had let the fact sink in.

Standing just outside the turnstiles of the subway, Judy's breath caught at a sudden thought. Nick had _protected_ her. He hadn't wanted her to see the body any more than she needed to. He calmly directed her to another action to keep her mind from the obvious. He took that burden on himself to call in the body, to deal with processing the scene while Judy was outside asking if anyone had seen or heard anything out of the norm. In the back of her mind she knew the tigress was dead, but Nick stood in her place long enough to distract her so she could do her job.

 _Why did he do that? We've both been through the same training...I know how to handle those situations just like he does. Why would he…_

Her thoughts were shattered by a buzzing in her pocket. She quickly pulled it out and breathed a long sigh of relief to see it was a text from Nick.

 _[Sorry for silent treatment Carrots. Meet me at The Turalis on Pine Grove and Burrows.]_

"The Turalis?" she said out loud to no one. She'd never even heard of the place. Quickly looking it up, she noted it wasn't too far from where she was now. She text him back.

 _[I'll be there in a few. You better have a good explanation for ditching me at the station.]_

She quickly made her way out of the subways station, relieved to hear from Nick but even more worried now knowing what lengths he went to for her. The sun was just starting to set, often being lost behind the tall building of Savannah Central as she made her way across the busy streets. She past Nick's complex again and moved further downtown towards one of the rougher ends of the district as she finally saw her destination come into view. Judy and Nick must have passed by the place several times per week on patrol, but she had never noticed the small bar sitting snugly on the corner. Its wooden sign looked rather rustic and called back to olden times.

Once inside, she quickly noticed a particularly down looking red fox sitting alone at the bar. She saw Nick cradling a half-empty glass in his hand as he sat and stared forward, and suddenly her worry was replaced with a little indignation. She walked right up behind him and cleared her throat.

"This place seems a little shady, even for you."

Nick's ears perked up as his body jerked in surprise. He spun around in his seat to see an less-than-jovial glare staring directly into his green eyes.

"Glad you could join me, Car-"

"Don't you _Carrots_ me, Nick," she interrupted. "You left me at the station after acting weird all day, then you wouldn't answer my texts or phone calls-"

Nick backed up a little and raised his paws in defense. "Now Jude, I can explain-"

"-I went to check for you at your apartment and you weren't there and then I finally thought to myself that _maybe_ you're just a full-grown fox who can take care of himself and where do I find you? In a bar, getting _drunk_."

Nick reached back to his glass and picked it up, motioning towards it with his other paw. "Carrots, I'm not drunk-"

"I was worried _sick_ about you!" she cried, her anger and worry coming out in an pained mix. "I didn't know if it was something I did, or if it was the murder case we had, or if something was wrong with you, and you just wanted to slip away and get hammered!"

"Carrots…"

"I walked all over the district for looking for you!"

"JUDY!"

"WHAT?" she yelled, blushing once she realized how much unnecessary attention she was bringing to the two of them. She stepped back a little, pushing her ears back with her paws and tried to regain her composure. "What, Nick?"

"I'm drinking _water_. I'm not drunk." He raised the glass up towards her face. "See? Nick good fox. _Good_ fox."

Judy stared blankly at the glass for a moment before looking away, slightly embarrassed. "Oh...I'm…I'm so sorry Nick, I just-"

Nick set his drink down and reached his paw out to Judy's shoulder. "Don't stress it. Though I'm flattered you'd be so worried about little ol' me."

Judy turned back to him, slightly annoyed now. She gave him a solid punch on the shoulder and sat next to him as he laughed. "Well then, what _were_ you doing here?"

"I came to see an old friend," Nick said, motioning over to the other end of the bar towards the bartender.

The bartender, an older gray fox, turned and saw the duo. He was shorter than Nick by a bit, and his muzzle was splotched with a little white from age. He had on a white buttoned shirt covered by a brown vest, and a red newsy cap adorned his brow. He waved at Nick, saying something inaudible to the patrons at the other end of the bar before coming down to speak.

"Oi, Nick, who is your lovely friend here?" he said as he approached. His voice was smooth and had a light, airy accent to it that reminded Judy of older movies she'd seen as a kit.

Nick smiled as he gestured towards her. "This is Judy Hopps, the one I was telling you about."

The older fox looked her over for a moment, making Judy feel slightly uncomfortable. A smile and a chuckle broke the awkwardness, though, as he slapped the bar before him.

"Haha! Nick, I never figured you for one to chase cottontails!" he laughed as he reached over and pushed on Nick's shoulder. Both Nick and Judy's faces filled with blush as they turned away from each other.

"Thad...it's not like that," Nick stammered as he brought his water to his lips. "She's my work partner and friend."

The gray fox laughed a little harder at their response before finally calming down and leaning on the bar before them. "Ha...well forgive me, Miss Hopps, for accusing you of being involved with a fox of such ill repute, then."

Through her blush, Judy simply smiled and nodded. "He's not so bad once you get past the bad jokes and ugly ties." That made the fox laugh all the more.

"Ooh a quick one, I like her, Nick!" he exclaimed. Tipping his cap slightly, he leaned forward and offered his paw to Judy. "Thaddeus VulFurrin, at your service, my dear."

Judy took his paw in a firm handshake, only for him to turn her paw over and dip his muzzle down to place a kiss on it. Surprised, Judy took her paw back and blushed again.

"Oh...my. Well…" she stammered, earning another laugh from Thaddeus and an eyeroll from Nick.

Nick adjusted himself in his seat, sitting up straighter as he let out a fake cough. "The smooth fox before you, Carrots, is an old friend of mine."

"Friend?" scoffed Thaddeus. He turned to Judy. "What he means, love, is mentor. All the charm and wit this kit here may think he developed on his own was taught to him by yours truly."

Nick groaned. "Please, Thad. You showed me how to pull a few hustles and gave me a few pick up lines when I was eighteen. That hardly counts as a mentor."

Thaddeus laughed again as he reached for Nick's glass and refilled his water. "Keep telling yourself that, mate. Now, as for this bonny young bunny here…" he said as he turned to Judy. "...what brings a lovely vision like yourself to a dreadful place such as this?"

Judy smirked as she looked directly at Nick. "This dumb fox right here."

Thaddeus and Nick's eyes both widened with a small amount of alarm as Nick turned slightly towards Judy. "Um...Carrots...I know you and I are pretty cool with the whole 'dumb fox' thing, and I'm positive Thad here doesn't mind either, but you may want to keep those to a minimum considering your current environment."

Judy raised an eyebrow, slowly turning her head to look around the bar. She was so full of concern on her way in she had failed to realize that every single patron of the bar was _a fox._ All around her were red foxes, fennec foxes, arctic foxes...not a single other type of mammal. Her ears lowered as far as they could go as her face went a little pale.

Thaddeus simply stroked his chin a little before speaking again. "Perk those ears back up, love. While the vast majority of my patrons are foxes, I never turn away a paying customer. Foxes are, if anything, used to being ridiculed, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. However, you do stick out like a sore bunny here."

Judy quickly turned to face the bar again and pulled her ears over her face as she whispered to Nick. "Why did you bring me to an all-fox bar?"

"Relax, Carrots, it's not like it's exclusive or anything. From time to time wolves, ferrets, bobcats, even otters come in. Heck I've even seen moose in here before. So it's not a big deal for a bunny walk into The Turalis. I mean, come on, being the first bunny in the ZPD was a much bigger deal than being probably the first bunny in a fox bar."

Judy laughed a little, dispelling some of the tension. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Thaddeus simply smiled at the two. "Well then, Nick, if this bonny bunny is your date for the evening, shall I get you two a real drink then?"

Judy blushed again, turning her head as Nick simply laughed.

"Ha...you know Thad, I think I will have one, thanks." Nick slid his glass of water to the side to make room for a mug. He looked coyly over to Judy, who raised an eyebrow.

"Thought you weren't here to get drunk?" she chided.

"Carrots, you wound me," he said as he raised his paws to his chest. "One drink does not a drunk make, and now that you're here to keep me in line I figured it would be okay to have something to help take the edge off the week before our day off tomorrow."

Suddenly Judy's original purpose in finding him crept back into her mind. She had to ask how he'd handled the murder case so deftly, and how it had affected him. But she also knew after a little over a year of being Nick's friend that direct questions were never a good approach.

"So, one drink is all it takes to calm you down after a long week like this?" The question was harmless enough, and his small chuckle let her know she was going to get some form of answer.

"Yeah, I suppose so. It was a long week, after all."

"But nothing too tough for a foxy fella like you, huh?" she said as she slid over just a bit, closer to him. Nick slowly turned to the side, catching her violet eyes peering into his.

"What's the angle, Hopps?"

Judy's ears perked as she sat up a little. "No angle, just trying to have a conversation with my partner."

Nick looked back forward, letting out a sigh. "Jude, I'm fine."

"Are you?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

Judy's ears fell again. "I...I wasn't. I had to talk with people, I had to-"

"I'm fine, Carrots."

Judy looked up to him again, searching his profile for anything she could see to let her know how he was feeling. He had put his wall up completely. The fox stared forward for a brief moment before turning back to where Thaddeus had run off to.

"Hey, Thad! How's that drink coming?" The older gray fox nodded and came back towards him with a glass mug in hand, filled to the brim.

"I don't have to tell you, Nicholas," said Thaddeus as he placed the mug in front of Nick, "to not let this get to your head too quick tonight, especially with such a lovely young doe around."

Nick sat back a little, letting a soft laugh escape. "I think I'll be fine, Thad."

"Just remember, son, a fox's folly fetches further folly."

Nick nodded, sitting up as the two began singing together. "For a fully foolish fox falters fast."

"If a fancy fetching female finds a fast and fearless fool…"

"A fox's folly fetches further folly!"

At the end of the tune, both foxes let out a laugh as Thaddeus walked back to the other end of the bar. Nick reached forward to grab the drink placed before him and took a sip before turning back to a very confused Judy.

"What was that about?" she asked, eyebrow cocked.

Nick smiled. "It's an old fox drinking song and proverb." He motioned towards the patrons of the bar. "We all know it. The idea is that if you're too drunk to sing the song, you're too drunk to heed the warning it gives."

The bunny simply looked on at him for a moment, processing the words of the song. "It's a catchy tune, you'll have to teach me sometime."

"Sorry Carrots, foxes only," he smirked. She gave a big, playful frown at him, causing him to laugh. "But maybe I can make an exception, seeing as you're quite the sly bunny." Taking another sip from his drink, he turned to her again. "I'm sorry for leaving you at the station like that. I shouldn't have done that without saying something."

Judy ran her paw over her ears. "It's fine, Nick. I was just...I was really hoping you would have told me if something was bothering you."

"I told you, I'm fine."

Judy sat up and grabbed Nick by the tie, pulling him down towards herself and locking her eyes on his. "And that lie would probably work on 99.99% of the general mammal population, Nick, but not on me. I know you too well." She scanned his eyes for a moment, raising her eyebrows as she peered into them.

Nick's emotional mask was at the top of its game, however, as she couldn't even catch it wavering slightly. "You know, if you wanted to get this close to me, Carrots, all you had to do was ask." He simply smiled and wiggled his eyebrows a little bit, causing her to shake her head and release him as she huffed and sat back in her seat again. She could only barely suppress a smile from her face. _How does he always do that?_

Judy leaned her head back as she reached her paw up to press into her eyes. "You are impossible sometimes, you know that?"

"Only the best for you, Jude," he chuckled. He took another sip of his drink. "You know, if I'm that stressful, maybe you need something to cool off after a long week, too."

Judy looked at him, then to the drink, then back at Nick. "I hardly ever drink, Nick. You know that."

"I know," he sighed, staring into his mug, "but if something _were_ bothering me, I'd think that maybe...just maybe...having a drinking buddy would help a little bit." He turned and gave a weak smile to her.

Judy held her breath for a short moment. _This is why he asked me to come here...he does want to talk. Maybe he thinks he just needs a couple drinks to loosen up, first._ She slowly slid her seat up closer to the bar, placing both paws on it as she slowly nodded. "Okay."

It was Nick's turn to be surprised. "Okay? Just like that?"

"Okay. Just like that." She smiled at him. "I don't drink very often, so I don't know what's good. What would you recommend?"

"Maybe a carrot-o-rita?"

Judy just rolled her eyes. "That can't be a real drink."

"Or at least not one they'd likely have at a fox bar. I think I'm the only one here who can tolerate Carrots for any length of time."

Judy shoved his shoulder. "Shut it, Wilde. You're a thousand times more of a pain to put up with."

"And yet you still insist on being my partner," he said, nodding slightly. Her glare made him laugh as he picked his drink back up and took a longer sip. "Let's get ol' Thad back over here and get you something."

Before she could say anything, Nick had already waved Thaddeus over and put in an order for a lighter beer. Thaddeus poured the mug and slid it to the bunny. "Here you are, love. I'll just put it on Wilde's tab." He smiled and winked at her.

Judy simply smiled back and then looked at the drink. It was the same size as Nick's, probably much larger than she needed. But this was for Nick, after all. She took the mug in both paws, lifting it up to her mouth and taking a sip. She let the drink roll around in her mouth for a moment, a slight grimace overtaking her face.

"Wow...this is kinda...strong," she said with a little cough. "How do you drink this stuff?"

Nick let out a small laugh as he picked his drink up again. "Years of practice."

Judy simply rolled her eyes as she took another small sip, not grimacing as much this time since she expected the flavor. The drink wasn't bad, but certainly not something she was used to. However, if drinking it meant she could get past the famed emotional stoicism of a certain fox, then a little bitterness was worth it.

Time moved by slowly for the two as they both partook of their drinks. Judy relayed more of her afternoon's adventure trying to find Nick, and Nick apologized again after realizing she had gone all the way to his apartment. Judy noticed that during her explanation, Nick had put away his whole drink and hers was barely a third gone.

Thaddeus, being an expert bartender, also noticed his drink was gone. Without even asking, he poured another and placed it before Nick.

"Thanks, Thad," Nick said, smiling. He slid his empty mug away, replacing it with the fresh drink. He turned back to Judy, seeming to smile a little wider as she continued talking.

"And that's when I got your text. I'd never even heard of this place, and I didn't even know you went to bars." Judy motioned around her at the other patrons. "I guess it makes sense for foxes to have a bar that caters to them, but I'm surprised that I haven't gotten any looks for being here."

"Foxes get a bad rap for being sly, thuggish, even downright mean at times, but like any type of mammal it's usually just one rotten apple that spoils the bunch." Nick eyed her for a minute, smiling. "I guess I was a pretty rotten apple when you first met me."

Judy smiled, a little sheepishly. "Yeah...just a little."

She took another sip of her drink. She hadn't even gotten it half way down and she was starting to begin feeling effects. Judy didn't drink often, and had of course never been _drunk_ in her life, so she wasn't as used to the effects of it. She decided she'd slow down and keep up the conversation. Nick had now drunk almost three times as much as her, so she decided to see if he was more willing to open up now.

"But...you've proven to me that you're a lot more than that." She reached out and placed a paw on Nick's arm, just like she had that day on the sky tram in the Rainforest District. "I'm sorry I judged you so quickly when we met."

"You had every right to," Nick replied. Unlike that first time, he didn't pull away now. Instead, he moved his other paw over to hers and gave a light pat. "I was those things to you, and to everyone around me. I didn't give you any reason to trust me."

"Not until later, when you stood up for me." Judy pulled her paw away, placing both paws on her drink again. She lowered her head a little. "You stood up for me when no one else did. You protected me from Bogo...and from my own doubt."

Nick sighed. "I just hated seeing someone be put down so hard just because of what others thought they were supposed to be."

"I guess we had that in common."

"Yeah, I guess we did." Nick took another long drink from his mug. He sat back for a moment, his face a bit more relaxed now. "I'm glad you found me, Carrots."

"I'm glad you protected me, Nick." Judy looked up, catching his green eyes in hers for a moment and smiling.

"I couldn't let Buffalo Butt kick you off the force like that, so of course I had to do something."

"No...I don't mean then. I mean this past week."

Nick eyed her for a minute, looking slightly confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Come on, Nick, I'm not that naive. When we responded to that domestic dispute call...you took over immediately and sent me back out so I didn't have to be there. You took the brunt of dealing with the...the body."

Nick looked forward again. He shook his head slightly. "I did what I was supposed to per protocol."

"Yes," she replied, "and what I knew how to do as well. But you noticed my shock and sent me out, taking care of it yourself. You...you protected me."

"Carrots…"

"Nick, that's why I was so worried about you." She turned in her seat to face him, placing her paw again on his arm. "You did that for me, helped me through the situation. You were there for me, got me dinner, helped me calm down...and I wasn't able to do the same for you. The first time seeing a dead body like that...it's nothing to take lightly."

Nick sighed, lowering his head as his ears pressed back. "It wasn't."

Judy stopped, her ears perking at his words. "Wasn't...what?"

"It wasn't my first time seeing a dead body."

Judy sat back, letting his words sink in. "It...wasn't?"

"No." He took another long drink from his mug, nearly finishing the second drink entirely. "On the streets...alone...especially in some of the rougher areas of this city...you see things, Carrots. Things you can't unsee."

"Nick...I'm so sorry-"

"Don't be." Nick's stoic stare had returned for a moment. "It was a long time ago."

"If you want to talk about it...we can," she replied, hope in her voice.

"When I was in my early twenties. I had some friends...acquaintances, really...heavy into partying and all that. I tapped out, saying I wanted nothing to do with it. I got a call that night saying they'd gotten into a wreck and they needed me to come get them." Nick leaned back in his chair, putting a paw to his face. "I got there before the ambulances did. Two of them were already gone, the third sitting on the curb in shock. He was the one that called me."

"Nick..." she said, bringing her paw to his.

"So, it wasn't the first time I'd seen someone dead. Nor was it the worst. I remember having to deal with that, pulling their bodies out of the car before the ambulances got there. I didn't want you dealing with that. I didn't want you to have the scars I do." Sitting back, he finished off his second drink, tapping the mug on the bar as he set it back down. The sound caught Thaddeus' attention, and he came over.

"Might wanna slow down a little, Nicholas. You haven't been here very long, after all. Pace yourself, mate."

Nick simply nodded to him. "It's been a long week, Thad."

Thaddeus looked over at Judy, noting the concern in her eyes. "Looks like it. I'll have you another ready if you need it, but I'm cutting you off after that."

Judy caught Thaddeus' attention for a moment, getting a nod from the older fox that spoke volumes. She could tell even he wasn't used to seeing Nick like this. Judy sighed, realizing there was just so much about Nick that was still hidden to her. She knew she was his best friend and she was probably able to get deeper than almost any other mammal in his life, but it was still frustrating to know how much more was under that mask of his.

Nick sighed and nodded to Thaddeus. "Yeah, one more then."

Thaddeus moved slowly, pouring one more mug for the younger fox and placing it in front of him. "Folly follows the fast and fearless, fox."

"I know. I promise I'll slow it down." Nick slid his empty mug towards Thaddeus before taking the third drink in hand. "I've got someone here who takes good care of me, just in case something were to happen."

Judy blushed a little, smiling. She looked to her own drink, noting she was finally about two thirds through it. She had begun to notice the bitterness was smoothing out the more she drank. Her body was warm, and she definitely felt more relaxed. She just hoped that Nick wasn't closing up on her after the last exchange.

Thad walked away, leaving the two alone again at the end of the bar. Nick took a small sip of his drink, turning back to her. "Sorry, didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't. I'm just glad you're being honest with me." She smiled at him, gaining a weak smile in return.

"You don't have to worry so much about me, Carrots."

"Yes, I do." She turned entirely towards him, facing him and looking to his eyes. For a moment, they did nothing but look at each other. Finally, after knowing him so long, she could begin to see the cracks in his mask. His eyes weren't hollow anymore. There was a genuine hurt that was just beginning to surface in them.

After a few moments, Nick turned back towards the bar. "Just because I'm your partner doesn't mean you need to dote on me like that."

"Nick…" she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his side. "You're much more than my partner. You're my friend...my _best_ friend. I care about you. I care about you a lot. I'm glad you told me."

Nick shook his head, playfully pushing Judy off of himself. "Alright, alright, enough of that. Didn't know you were a pawsy, clingy drunk."

Judy sat up, laughing as she punched him on the shoulder. "Oh, please. What was it you said? One drink does not a drunk make? You've had three times as much as me. If anyone's drunk, it's you."

"Carrots, I'm a professional. I'm not drunk."

Judy smiled coyly. "Really?"

"Really."

"Fine. Prove it. Sing the song."

Nick raised an eyebrow, looking back to her. A smug grin was plastered on her face. "You're serious?"

"Serious as I can be." She sat back in her chair, folding her arms. "Sing the song."

Nick let out a nervous laugh. "I don't just sing on demand, Jude."

"Come on, I'll sing it with you. I think I remember the words." She cleared her throat before singing. "A fox's folly fetches further folly…"

Nick smiled at her. "Carrots, I never knew you had such a lovely singing voice. Like a fluffy angel."

"Oh hush you." She cleared her throat again, stopping this time before singing. "Um...I don't remember the rest."

He laughed. "With that steel trap mind of yours? Fine. I'll teach you." He sat up, turning towards her before simply speaking the words of the song. "A fox's folly fetches further folly, for a fully foolish fox falters fast. If a fancy fetching female finds a fast and fearless fool, a fox's folly fetches further folly."

"So...the folly is being drunk?" she asked.

"Kinda. The 'further' folly is doing something stupid afterwards."

Judy thought for a moment before a devious grin appeared on her face. "So...are you a 'fully foolish fox', Nick?"

"Hardly. I told you, I've got a lot of experience with this stuff."

"Well…" she looked up towards him, catching his eyes. "Am I a 'fancy fetching female'?"

Nick quickly turned his face away, attempting to hide his own blush this time. "I mean...well...you're not... _not_ that."

"Not _not_ that? So I am?"

He laughed nervously again, taking another sip of his last drink. "Jeez, Jude. That drink seems to have made you a little lax this evening."

"I'm perfectly fine with how much I drank. It's you I'm worried about." She stood up in her chair, putting her at full eye level with him as she pulled his face back to her with her paw. "Sing the song."

He looked into her eyes for a moment, noticing how beautiful they were. It certainly wasn't the first time he'd noticed that, but tonight it was added to by the intent he saw in her eyes. He relented, smiling as he turned himself back to her and left his drink all but forgotten.

Clearing his throat, he began the song. "A fox's folly fetches further folly."

Judy took the second line. "For a fully foolish fox falters fast."

Nick paused for a moment, never letting his eyes leave hers. "If...if a fancy fetching female finds a fast and fearless fool…"

Judy began leaning closer to him, lowering her voice as she finished the song. "A fox's folly fetches-"

Her words were cut short by Nick as he leaned forward, allowing his lips to touch hers. The light kiss surprised both of them, seemingly involuntary but also inevitable. Before he knew what was going on, he felt Judy push a little harder into the kiss as she raised her paws to his face. His paws acted of their own will, reaching up and lightly holding Judy's shoulders as the kiss deepened. It was heavenly, both of them allowing a lot of unspoken feelings come out through a single act.

Judy finally pulled back, ending the kiss. She stared directly into his eyes again, noticing there how shocked he was at his own actions. She smiled a pure smile as she leaned forward, laying her head on his chest as she hugged him. Nick instinctively put his arms around her, holding her closer to himself.

After what felt like a small eternity, Judy finally laughed. "I guess that makes you a fast and fearless fool."

"I guess so."

Judy pulled back for a moment, raising her face to his again. "Nick...I care so much about you. And the reason I care so much is because I love you."

"I care about you too, Judy. And I think you've had a little too much to drink tonight."

Judy rolled her eyes and softly punched him on the shoulder. "Way to kill the mood, Slick."

"It's a talent of mine." He smiled. Judy couldn't help but keep her eyes on him for a moment before leaning back to him and placing her head on his chest once more. Together they sat for what felt like forever in silence, just taking in each other's warmth.

Before long, Thaddeus had come back over and simply gave a chuckle at seeing the two. Nick gave him a look that quieted the older fox down. Thaddeus simply walked back to the other end of the bar snickering.

Before long, Nick noticed Judy's breathing was getting longer. "Hey, Carrots. You falling asleep down there?"

Judy jerked a little, sitting up and fluttering her eyes. "No, no...I'm awake." A long yawn came out of her, something Nick couldn't help but think was adorable. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Uh huh...I can see that." Nick pulled his phone out and noted the time. "It's getting kinda late. Why don't we get cab and get you home?"

With her eyelids suddenly very heavy, Judy could only nod. "I guess my drink hit me a little harder than I thought."

Using his phone, Nick managed to call a mid-mammal sized cab and have it meet them out front to take Judy home. He motioned for Thaddeus to come over and settled up the tab for the night's drinks. Thaddeus smiled at him and winked as Nick helped Judy down from her chair. She leaned on him as the two talked out of the bar together.

Outside it was night time, the street light near them flickering as they waited for the cab to arrive. Judy simply pressed into Nick's side, nuzzling him as they waited. He picked his paw up, running a claw gently down the length of her ear. With each stroke she shivered slightly, nuzzling him even more. Finally, the cab arrived and Nick held the door for her to climb in.

Once inside, he gave her address to the driver, an overweight muskrat. They hadn't even made it a block or so away before Judy had fallen over in the backseat of the cab and laid herself on Nick's lap. He continued stroking her ears, noting it didn't take long for her breaths to even out. She was asleep.

Nick simply shook his head and looked down at her. It was amazing to him that this wonderful female laying across his lap was so comfortable with him. He was a _fox_ , after all. It just was so...unnatural. A fox and a rabbit...snuggling together like this. And yet, for Nick...there wasn't anything he'd rather be doing. Judy was the only one he'd ever known in his life that could get this far under his mask. She never gave up, always pushing him to be better. Of all the mammals in the world...he wouldn't rather have anyone else sprawled across his lap in the back seat of a cab after a little too much to drink. For the first time in a very long time, Nick was genuinely happy. He'd never been so glad for traffic before in his life, as it prolonged the time he was allowed to hold her like this.

Emotions Nick had imprisoned in the back of his mind for years were suddenly coming out with a vengeance. He always knew Judy was amazing, and always knew he'd end up falling for her. Maybe now he could finally have someone he could take his mask off for. Perhaps he could trust her as much as she seemed to trust him.

Eventually, the cab pulled up in front of Judy's apartment complex. Nick nudged Judy a little, getting her to groggily sit up for a moment while he paid the fare. Stepping out of the cab, Judy leaned back onto Nick, seeming to sleep while standing. Cautiously, Nick stooped down to pick her up and carry her in his arms.

"Goodness, Carrots. You're a total lightweight. Thankfully literally as well." He carried her up to her floor, patting down her pants pocket to find her keys. Opening the door to her meager abode, he entered and gently laid her down on her bed amongst a dozen tiny stuffed animals. By this point, she was sound asleep, rolling peacefully on her side towards him as he stood back up.

Nick stood and watched her for a moment, taking in how beautiful she was. If you had told him two years ago that he'd be completely smitten with a bunny...Nick would have gladly told you where you could put that kind of nonsense. But here he was, overwhelmed by her, even as she slept. He leaned down, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead before walking towards the door.

He stopped to turn her light off, smiling at her once more. "I love you too, Judy. I hope you know that," he whispered.

Judy simply smiled. "Do I know that? Yes, yes I do."

Surprised, Nick laughed. "Sly bunny."

She yawned deeply. "Dumb fox."

"Goodnight, Judy. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes, you will."

The biggest smile of his life crossed Nick's muzzle as he closed the door. Tomorrow was certainly going to be interesting.


	5. Fix You

**A/N: STOP. Before you read this piece, please follow these instructions. This is an emotional experiment of mine. Tissues may be required.**

 **This piece is tied heavily to the song "Fix You" by Coldplay, using the lyrics as a structure to form the narrative. Before you read further, take a few minutes to hop on Youtube and listen to the song (even if you've heard the song before, it helps to have it fresh in your mind). Intently listen and hear the music, the words, the rhythm, and the theme. Then read this piece with that in mind. After you're done reading, I urge you to listen to the song _again,_ this time with the context of the narrative in mind. This will create a "mental music video" for you, and should dramatically enhance your experience. Please let me know in the reviews if this made a difference in how you understood and appreciated this piece. **

**Without further ado, please enjoy.**

* * *

 **Fix You**

* * *

Silence ruled the air. Laying on his back, Nick simply stared at the ceiling of his apartment, unmoving except for his long breaths. He had removed his black tie and coat, tossing them in the corner. His face displayed no emotions, a completely blank mask hiding him from the entire world. But inwardly…that couldn't be further from the truth. A boiling mixture of anger, pain, sorrow, and loss consumed his heart, but still he stared ahead. The emotions pounded against their prison, threatening to undo him if not released. He was tired.

 _When you try your best, but you don't succeed  
When you get what you want, but not what you need  
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep  
Stuck in reverse…_

He slowly sat up in his bed, seeing his now broken mirror. He looked at his dresser and desk. The objects on them were strewn about, broken and in disarray from his earlier actions. He didn't care at the moment, there was currently no room for regret in his heart. His mind, exhausted from the day, wandered back to the morning. The image of the casket was still fresh in his mind. At first, he thought he had entered the wrong room at the funeral home, since it was nearly empty other than himself and an attendant. Slowly, he had realized the truth. He was the only one she had.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he lowered his face into his paws, the mask breaking along with the emotional dam he could no longer sustain. His tears began to fall, he felt his body and heart begin to pour out his pent up emotions. She was all _he_ had.

 _And the tears come streaming down your face  
When you lose something you can't replace  
When you love someone but it goes to waste  
Could it be worse..._

The memories of the day played through his mind. The image of the casket came to him again, but he wasn't alone anymore. As he stood, stoic as possible, staring at his loss, a smaller gray paw had reached up to take his. He looked to see Judy, wearing a black dress and shawl, looking up to his face.

 _Lights will guide you home  
And ignite your bones  
And I will try  
To fix you._

Judy had held his paw tightly, joining him in silence as the two looked on. She knew that no words could truly help at the moment, choosing instead simply to stand by Nick's side. Her heart ached for him as she looked past his façade of strength and saw his pain. She looked at the casket, seeing a beautiful picture sitting next to it, framed ornately in gold. Next to it was a written memoriam.

"Vivian Wilde, loving mother."

 _When you're high above or down below  
When you're too in love to let it go  
But if you never try, then you'll never know  
How much you're worth…_

Vivian's life was well lived. She had been nothing but loving to those in her life, even those who treated her poorly. Nick knew that all too well. For years he had rebelled against her and against society as a whole. He hated how foxes were treated, so he became what they accused him of being. However, never once had his mother ever stopped loving him. She had been so proud of what Nick was able to finally become. Proud that he was finally able to fulfill what she always knew he could be.

Their time was so short. The disease had ravaged her so quickly. Nick regretted spending so much time away from her over the years. She hadn't told him she was sick, never showed any signs of illness. The whole time Nick was in the Academy, she cheered for him. She stayed as strong as she could so he wouldn't worry. After Nick graduated and joined the force, she started fading quickly. It was as if she had just been waiting for him to save himself before she could finally let go. She wanted to see him move on, to see him finally become what she always dreamed and prayed he would be.

Nick had always feared being truly alone. He had always pushed everyone out of his life, including his mother, but he always knew she was there. Even at his most belligerent, she was there. When he was hurt, when he was lost, she was there, always believing in him. And now, she was gone.

The realization hit him hard when he stood before the casket, staring at what amounted to his entire life lying unmoving before him. The small gray paw in his squeezed tighter as his emotions began to finally display on his face. He looked to Judy again, seeing the concern and compassion in her eyes. He hated looking weak. He hated showing his pain. Judy knew the chinks in his armor too well.

She saw his pain, wanting to say so much to him but not knowing the words to use. To let him know she was here, she was with him. She wanted him to know she felt his pain, and wanted to help him heal.

 _Lights will guide you home  
And ignite your bones  
And I will try  
To fix you._

Being able to hide his emotions had served Nick well for most of his life, but it wasn't a skill he learned for the benefit of his interactions with others. His true reasoning for hiding his emotions was so he wouldn't have to deal with them himself. Unable to control the flood coming now, Nick did the only thing he knew how to. He shook the smaller paw out of his own and turned, walking out of the funeral home. Judy's voice behind him didn't even register as he hit the door and moved to the street, breaking into a run to try to escape the sorrow filling his heart.

Reaching his home, he quickly shoved the door of his apartment open, entering and slamming it behind him. His chest was tight, his heart beating quickly from his rushed escape. He leaned his paws onto his dresser, slowly raising his eyes to meet his reflection in the mirror. Disgusted by what he saw, he snarled and slammed his fist into the mirror, breaking it. Letting out a howl, he began thrashing his paws at anything in reach, sending books, papers, and clothing all over the room. He reached to grab a small vase from his desk, throwing it to the wall where it shattered. His heart was beating out of his chest, his vision blurring from his own rage and agony. He finally looked back to his own reflection in the broken mirror, seeing his eyes wide with pain. He attempted to calm himself, to push his emotions back down into the depths of his heart once more. He fell backward to his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

Judy ran up the stairs to Nick's apartment, knowing only that she needed to find him. She was unsure of what she could do, but she had to try to be there for him. She found his door unlocked, pushing it open and praying she would find him there and that he wouldn't turn away from her again.

 _Tears stream down your face  
When you lose something you cannot replace  
Tears stream down your face  
And I…_

When Judy finally walked into his bedroom, Nick was sitting on the edge of his bed, sobbing uncontrollably. Her own eyes filled with tears as she moved to him, putting her arms around him as he leaned his head onto her chest. To her surprise, his arms reached up and wrapped around her, pulling her closer. Her tears flowed freely, matching his as he shook from his sobs. All she could do was hold him. They cried together for what felt like an eternity, with no words being necessary between them. Finally feeling his tears slowing down, Nick pulled back, looking up until their misty eyes met. A thousand things could be said between them, but none of them were needed. Her violet eyes said it all. She was here. She was with him. He cupped her face with his paw, slowly wiping a tear from her cheek. Slowly, she pulled him closer into a tight hug, letting him rest his head on her shoulder.

 _Tears stream down your face  
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes  
Tears stream down your face  
And I…_

Together, they laid on the bed, his arms holding her tight against himself with his head on her shoulder. She gently stroked his ears as he breathed slowly, continuing to process his emotions. She leaned her head down, placing a chaste kiss on his forehead before continuing to stroke his fur. It communicated volumes to Nick. He was loved. He wouldn't have to fight the storm by himself.

And…

 _Lights will guide you home  
And ignite your bones  
And I will try  
To fix you._

…Nick would never have to be alone.


End file.
